Heading to Japan & wondering how to pay to get around? Look no further than the Virtual Suica card! Psst, it can be added to your Apple Wallet and topped up with your YouTrip card via Apple Pay 😉 Travelling through the country has never been easier.
In June 2023, JR East suspended the sale of rechargeable Suica cards due to production shortages of the chips used to make them. At the time of writing, there has been no update on whether sales will be recontinued 🫠 This doesn’t affect current cardholders but may leave some of us first-time Japan travellers wondering ‘What now?’. Don’t panic — introducing the Virtual Suica card as your solution.
It’s convenient, useful, and most of all, easy to get your hands on. Simply add your Virtual Suica card to your Apple Wallet and top it up with YouTrip through Apple Pay! Here’s everything you need to know 👇
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What’s A Virtual Suica Card?
Image Credits: Gizmodo
The Virtual Suica card is available to download on your Apple devices. Say goodbye to fumbling for change at vending machines or queueing up for train tickets — all it takes is a tap with your Virtual Suica card and you’re all set!
Japan Travel: How To Top Up Your Virtual Suica Card With YouTrip — Check out our guide to if it’s still worth buying the JR pass despite prices increasing
How To Add Your Virtual Suica Card To Your Apple Wallet & Top Up With YouTrip
1️⃣ Give the ‘+’ symbol on the top right corner of your Wallet App a little tap
2️⃣ Select ‘Travel Card’ and key in ‘Suica’ (easy peasy lemon squeezy 🍋)
3️⃣ Tap ‘Continue’ then key in your desired JPY amount — make sure you’ve got enough JPY on your YouTrip app first! 💴
4️⃣ Scan through the T&Cs & select ‘Agree’ (you’re almost there…)
5️⃣ Double-click the side button to top up your Suica card with your YouTrip Mastercard and voila! You’ve now got the best Yen rates in town ✨
Besides Suica, you can also choose to add the PASMO and ICOCA virtual cards to your Apple wallet!
* Do note that you can only top up your Suica card with a Mastercard
Japan Travel: How To Top Up Your Virtual Suica Card With YouTrip — Find out more here
Suica Hack: Activate Express Mode for your Suica card
Did you know that you’re able to enter Japan’s train stations with just a tap? Instead of using Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode for every Apple Pay transaction, you can use this hack to access your Suica card in Japan with just a tap! Here’s how you can set up this Suica hack on your iPhones 👇
1️⃣ Open the Wallet app on your iPhone & select the virtual Suica card you just added to your Apple wallet!
2️⃣ Tap ‘More’ > ‘Card details’ > ‘Express Travel Settings’
3️⃣ Turn on Express Travel Mode for your Suica card
4️⃣ You’re now ready to enter Japan’s train stations in just a tap — without the requirement of a Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode!
Japan Travel: How To Top Up Your Virtual Suica Card With YouTrip — Check out our TikTok for more hacks & guides like this!
Other Alternatives For Japan Travel: The Welcome Suica Card
Unfortunately, Android users are only able to access the Virtual Suica card via Google Pay if they have a smartphone purchased in Japan. But don’t worry, we’ve got your backs. Here’s an alternative that’ll come in handy: The Welcome Suica.
An eCard for tourists used for transport on JR East trains, subways, and buses, the Welcome Suica can also be used for payments at a wide variety of stores where the ‘Suica’ logo is displayed. Better yet, it helps you skip the tiresome need to queue up for a train ticket from the vending machine.
Although no deposit is required, the Welcome Suica only lasts for 28 days and doesn’t allow refunds regardless of the validity period status or balance loaded on your card.
❗Upon purchase, you’ll receive a reference paper with your Welcome Suica’s validity period. Do note that you’ll have to keep that reference paper with you at all times as your validity period will not be printed on the card itself and may be requested by JR employees.
Japan Travel: How To Top Up Your Virtual Suica Card With YouTrip — Find out more about the Wecome Suica here
Where to purchase the Welcome Suica Card:
The Welcome Suica Card can be purchased at JR East Travel Service Centers and Welcome Suica Ticket Vending Machines located in Narita Airport and Haneda Airport.
JR East Travel Service Center
| 📍 Haneda Airport Terminal 3 (Tokyo Monorail) Station | 📍 Kashiwa Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Tokyo Station (temporarily suspended sales) | 📍 Yokohama Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Shinagawa Station (temporarily suspended sales) | 📍Kawasaki Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Shibuya Station (temporarily suspended sales) | 📍 Tachikawa Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Shinjuku Station (temporarily suspended sales) | 📍 Ōmiya Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Ikebukuro Station (temporarily suspended sales) | 📍 Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Ueno Station (temporarily suspended sales) | 📍Narita Airport Terminal 2・3 Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Funabashi Station (temporarily suspended sales) | 📍 Sendai Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Niigata Station (temporarily suspended sales | 📍 Japan Rail Cafe (Tokyo) (temporarily suspended sales) |
| Welcome Suica Ticket Vending Machines |
|---|
| 📍 Haneda Airport Terminal 3 Stations (Tokyo Monorail) Station |
| 📍 Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
| 📍 Narita Airport Terminal 2・3 Station (temporarily suspended sales) |
*Limited to 1 Welcome Suica per person
Japan Travel: How To Top Up Your Virtual Suica Card With YouTrip — Here’s everything you need to know about the JR Pass
Your Japan Transport Guide 🇯🇵
| Everything You Need To Know | Read Now! |
|---|---|
| JR Pass 101: Everything You Need To Know About The Japan Rail Pass | 👉 Click here |
| 8 JR Pass Budget Alternatives 2024 | 👉 Click here |
| Prices For Japan’s Regional JR Passes Are Set To Increase From 1 October 2023 Onwards | 👉 Click here |
| Is The JR Pass Still Worth it After The Price Increase? | 👉 Click here |
| SGD To Yen: How To Capitalise On The Japanese Yen Right Now | 👉 Click here |
| The Ultimate 14-Day Japan Itinerary: Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka Guide | 👉 Click here |
| The Best Japanese Onsens And Ryokans To Stay At In Japan | 👉 Click here |
| YouTrip’s Ultimate Saving Guide: Unveiling Brands That Are Cheaper In Japan Than Back Home | 👉 Click here |
Get The Best JPY Rates With YouTrip!
And there you have it, a seamless way of travelling through the Land of The Rising Sun with the best JPY rates all day!
As Singapore’s favourite multi-currency wallet, we aim to get those pesky fees out of the way and help you save on your travels. With the best foreign exchange rates, no longer will you have to deal with those long queues at money changers! So if you’re looking for a go-to travel card, sign up for your complimentary YouTrip card today with promo code <YTBLOG5> and get FREE S$5 in your account! For more great tips and articles like this, join our Telegram (@YouTripSG) and subscribe to our free weekly newsletter here or down below.
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Bon Voyage 💜
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