PASMO Card – Major Transportation Card for Extensive Use in Tokyo

PASMO card is one of the two major transportation card giants (Suica & PASMO) in Tokyo. With sufficient balance, it can be swiped to take public transport in the capital circle centered on Tokyo, as well as payment in stores, especially the convenience stores. As the times progress, PASMO can be used in most cities around Japan now. It’s a useful tool on your Japan tour, to offer travelers convenience on the transportation and payment.

Commonly Used Types of PASMO Card

The traditional unregistered PASMO cards have been unavailable at present, but the old card can still be used normally if you got one in the past. It’s applicable for everyone, regardless of the locals and visitors. No replacement if lost. The deposit of JPY 500 will be refunded if you return the card.

The sale of registered PASMO cards is resumed from September, 2024. Registered PASMO card is suitable for the local people and those sojourn in Tokyo for a long time. It’s required to register your personal information like the name, gender, date of birth and phone number, for the replacement if you lost it. Although with no deposit, a service fee is charged for a replacement.

PASMO Passport is the tourist card of PASMO. It has a validity period for 28 days since you buy it, which could facilitate your tour in Tokyo or even the most areas around Japan. No deposit is needed, the price, usually JPY 2,000, is the sum of pre-stored balance and the service fee of JPY 500. The service fee might be reduced if there is a special discount. Also, you can keep it as a souvenir after it’s expired. However, it’s reported that the sale of PASMO Passport is halted temporarily.

How to Use PASMO Card?

PASMO card can be applied mainly for travelling with public transport as well as paying in stores.

In Tokyo and Kanto region, PASMO is a popular and powerful transportation card, which is also the essential function of PASMO card. Metro lines in Tokyo, city buses, private railways extending to nearby towns, etc. are in support of PASMO card. It’s also useable on more public transport in Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba prefectures. It can be used as long as there is the logo of “pasmo”, “suica” or “IC” – the mark of nationwide transportation interconnectivity in Japan.

Apart from taking public transport, payment in stores is another big function of PASMO card. Similarly, as long as the logo of “pasmo” is displayed, you can swipe your PASMO card in the store. Besides, around the country, PASMO card can be used in stores of Kitaca, manaca, TOICA, ICOCA, etc. card system as well.

Notes:

  PASMO card is not usable to take Shinkansen bullet trains. 
  PASMO card can’t be utilzed in the network of PiTaPa card, both on transport and in stores, which is mainly used in Kansai region.
  For vending machines, taxis, coin lockers, restaurants, on-board shopping, etc. in Kanto region, PASMO card is also applicable.

Where to Purchase a PASMO Card?

PASMO card can be purchased at any station of the operators who join in the alliance business with PASMO. Railway stations at Narita Airport & Haneda Airport, Tokyo Metro stations, stations of Seibu, Tokyu, Odakyu, Keio and more private railways are included.

  Narita Airport:
Skyliner & Keisei Information Center or the vending machines, B1F of T1 or T2
  Haneda Airport:
Keikyu Information Center or the vending machines, B1F of T1 or T2

Registered PASMO card resumes from September, 2024; it’s also the only PASMO card available recently.

Recharge the PASMO Card

Via Recharge Machines at Stations

In most metro stations or train stations in Tokyo, you can find the recharge machines to top up your PASMO card. Need to be reminded that, only Japanese cash can be accepted on the machines, while credit cards are unacceptable.

The sum you can recharge per time varies from different machines of the companies. But, the maximum sum can’t be over JPY 20,000, and the balance in your PASMO card should be no more than JPY 20,000, too.

In a City Bus

On the city bus where PASMO card is applicable in Tokyo, you can offer to top up when getting on. However, only 1,000 yen banknotes can be inserted to recharge, and the amount of money that can be topped up varies by the bus operator or the machine. If your balance is more than JPY 10,001, it’s unable to recharge.

By the way, it’s not recommended to top up on a bus, because there might be some troubles to talk with the driver for the language barrier. Meanwhile, your unsmooth topping up may affect other people to get on, especially in a bad weather.

More possible top-up method:

At some convenience stores using PASMO system, it’s also practicable to recharge your card. However, you’d better consult the salesclerks whether there is such a business or not and also more details.

Tips on Using PASMO Card during Your Tokyo Tour

You travel to either Tokyo or more places around Japan, don’t top up too much each time, especially when your journey is nearly over. Because the balance in the PASMO card can’t be refunded at last.

Make sure there is a sufficient balance before you swipe your PASMO card. If you don’t know how much balance there is, please go to a self-service machine at the stations or the bus office. A transaction record of last 20 deals at least can be shown and printed there.

If you think your balance is not enough, please inform the staff when entering the ticket gate. On arrival at your destination station, you can go to the PASMO machine of fare adjustment for a settlement or topping up.

If your PASMO card doesn’t work but with sufficient balance, please ask staff at the service window inside the station for help.

An Emerging Way – Mobile PASMO

Mobile PASMO is actually the electronic transportation card on your smart phone. Foreign users of iPhone could add a PASMO card in your Apple Wallet, or download the official app of Mobile PASMO. For smart phones in Japan, there are more applicative phone types. There is no big difference in use from a physical PASMO card, even it’s more convenient as activating and recharging the card can be done on your phone any time anywhere.