Suica
Suica (Japanese pronunciation: スイカ, Suika) is a prepaid rechargeable contactless smart card, electronic money used as a fare card on train lines in Japan, launched on November 18, 2001. The card can be used interchangeably with JR West's ICOCA in the Kansai region and San'yō region in Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi prefectures, and also with JR Central's TOICA, JR Kyushu's SUGOCA, Nishitetsu's Nimoca, and Fukuoka City Subway's Hayakaken area in Fukuoka City and its suburb areas. The card is also increasingly being accepted as a form of electronic money for purchases at stores and kiosks, especially within train stations. As of 2018, JR East reports 69.4 million Suica UID's have been issued, usable at 476,300 point of sale locations, with 6.6 million daily transactions.
| Location | Kantō region, Sendai area, Niigata area, Morioka area, Akita area, Aomori area |
|---|---|
| Launched | 8 April – 8 July 2001: piloted at 57 stations; 18 November 2001, official launch at 424 stations |
| Technology | |
| Manager | JR East |
| Currency | Japanese yen (¥20,000 maximum load) |
| Stored-value | Pay as you go |
| Credit expiry | Ten years after last use |
| Validity |
|
| Retailed |
|
| Variants |
|
| Website | www |
Since Suica is completely interchangeable with Pasmo (see Interoperation for the complete listing of companies and lines that accept Suica) in the greater Tokyo area, it is supported on virtually any train, tramway, and bus system (excluding various limited and shinkansen trains, as well as a few local buses as the system is still in the process of being extended to all routes).