Transport Cards Used in Japan

If you’re planning to use public transportation in Tokyo or elsewhere in Japan, having a rechargeable transport card is highly recommended. The Japanese transit system offers three most popular cards: Suica, PASMO, and ICOCA.

Suica, PASMO & ICOCA

• PASMO : Tokyo-focused metro card, convenient for subways & daily transport.
• Suica : widely accepted across Japan for trains, convenience stores, vending machines, etc.
• ICOCA : Kansai-based IC card so ideal when travelling Osaka/Kyoto.

We used Pasmo(me) and Suica(mom) during our 3 days in Tokyo with no issues/differences at all. Both worked perfectly fine for trains and vending machines, so either one should be fine. FYI there are also tourist-only options like Welcome Suica which are valid for 28 days. But I decided to buy the regular Suica card because I travel to Japan quite often and wanted to recharge/reuse it for future trips.

Using Pasmo Apple Pay (Mobile Pasmo) on Your iPhone

Before traveling to Tokyo, I downloaded the Pasmo app on my iPhone and pre-registered my card in Apple Wallet.

Setting Up Pasmo Apple Pay

You can find the offical setup instructions on the PASMO website and Apple’s Wallet support page. But for reference, here’s how I set my Pasmo card up step-by-step (FYI the app’s interface was in Japanese):

1. Download the Pasmo app
2. Tap ‘新しくPASMOを作る‘ to make a new PASMO
3. Select ‘無記名’ to make a Blank card (recommended for short-term travelers)^a
4. Agree to terms (Click ‘次へ’ for Next → ‘同意する’ to Agree)
5. Choose to ‘チャージ’ to charge or ‘チャージ しない’ to skip (I proceeded without charging, which directed me to add the new card to Apple Wallet)^b

1. There are 2 types of PASMO:
   💳 Blank : with no personal information recorded
   💳 Personalized : with your name and details registered
   For tourists, choosing blank Pasmo is recommended because you don’t have to provide any personal info and it’s easier + faster to buy.

2. To top up your Pasmo in Apple Wallet directly, you need a credit or debit card already registered on Apple Pay. I don’t have one so I was only able to set up an empty card and had to top up my card with cash in Japan.

Buying & Charging Transport Cards at Haneda Airport

IC Card Top Up at Haneda Airport Terminal 2

Once we landed in Haneda Airport Terminal 2 (1F), we headed down to the B1 floor in the direction of the Tokyo Monorail and Keikyu Line. Near McDonald’s, you’ll find a ticket counter with machines where you can buy a new Suica card and/or top up your card (physical or digital). Most machines accept cash only (so if you need yen there’s a Seven Bank ATM machine on the same floor where you can withdraw cash).

For my Pasmo on Apple Wallet, I just placed my iPhone on the card sensor which immediately read my card and allowed me to choose the top-up amount. Once topped up, I could tap my phone at the IC card scanner to enter the metro gates. This made my metro trips so much more convenient than buying individual tickets every time.

Where to Buy Suica Card at Haneda Airport Terminal 2

Meanwhile, my mom (who has an Android phone and couldn’t use Apple Pay) bought a physical Suica card from the machine. Again we opted for blank Suica (with no personal info). FYI when buying a new card, if you charge ¥1000, ¥500 goes toward the “deposit” and only ¥500 gets topped up for travel.

Train From Haneda to Shinagawa Station

On our first day in Tokyo, we had lunch plans in Daikanyama, so we used our freshly topped-up cards to ride from Haneda Airport to Ebisu station via Shinagawa Station. After buying & topping up our cards, we followed signs for trains and took the Keikyu Airport Line toward Shinagawa, which has 3 major train types:

1. Express trains: stop at more stations (~ 22-25 min from Haneda to Shinagawa)
2. Limited Express trains: skip more stations than Express (~16-22 min to Shinagawa)
3. Airport Rapid Ltd. Express trains: fastest option (~15 mins to Shinagawa)

The Airport Rapid Ltd. Express is the fastest option, but it only runs every ~40 minutes so the timing might not work out. That said both the Express and Limited Express trains also reach Shinagawa in under 25 minutes, so all three options work well for getting into the city. You can also refer to the Japan Travel site for a detailed schedule/timetable. Just keep in mind that Keikyu Line trains are often crowded with both locals and travelers, so be prepared for a packed ride.

Traveling from Shinjuku to Haneda Airport

Airport Limousine Bus from Shinjuku to Haneda Airport

On our way back to Haneda, my mom was too traumatized by the crowded metro so instead of taking the train to Haneda Airport, we opted for the Airport Limousine Bus. Since our hotel was near Shinjuku, we took the limousine at Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal.

Buying Tickets (Online Reservation Recommended)

I booked our tickets a day before departure on the official website. Tickets were ¥1,400 per person, and I could pay with my Korean credit card. After payment, they sent a confirmation email with a QR code. No printing or check-in required, just show the QR when boarding. There was also no option for reserved seating so boarding was in order of arrival.

Where to Board the Airport Limousine Bus in Shinjuku

If you’re taking the limousine bus from Shinjuku, look for BUSTA Shinjuku (Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal). It’s not on ground level, which feels counterintuitive at first: the terminal is on 4F of Shinjuku Station. Just follow signs for “Express Bus Terminal” near the New South Gate.

Once you reach Busta on 4F, you’ll find digital boards showing bus routes, departure times and platform numbers. When you arrive at your platform, the staff will tag your bags, ask which terminal you’re getting off at (T1/T2/T3), and load everything for you.

Airport Express Train vs Airport Express Bus

The bus ride from Shinjuku to Haneda took a bit more than 1 hour, slightly delayed on traffic. Compared to the train route we used on arrival (Keikyu + JR lines), the bus took longer but felt much more comfortable; we were seated the whole way, didn’t have to transfer or squeeze through crowds. If you have a tight schedule the train is definitely safer, but as a comfortable end to a trip, the Airport Limousine Bus is an amazing alternative.