Transport IC Cards & Passes

Your first must-have for Tokyo: Master transport IC cards

The IC transport cards (and alternatives) currently available in Tokyo are as follows.

1) Regular Suica & Pasmo cards

• The standard transport IC cards are Suica and Pasmo.
• These cards were temporarily suspended due to the semiconductor shortage, but are available to purchase again from March 1, 2025.
• You can buy them from multi-function ticket machines at most stations, or at the JR “Midori-no-Madoguchi” ticket office.

2) Tourist-only card: Welcome Suica

• You can buy it at Narita Airport and Haneda Airport. (Sales at Narita Airport resumed from July 20, 2024)
• Valid period: 28 days from the purchase date
• No deposit, no refund — there is no refund process, so it can be more convenient for short trips.
• After 28 days, any remaining balance expires, so keep top-ups small and use up the remaining balance at convenience stores or any accepted shops.
• It works the same as a regular IC card, and a child card is also available.
• Sales locations may change depending on conditions, so always check the latest information on the official website.

3) For iPhone users

• If you have an iPhone with Apple Pay set up, you can issue a Suica or Pasmo instantly in the Wallet app.

With the right pass, you can cut transport costs by half

Wherever you go in Japan, transport pass systems are well developed.

A transport pass is a system that lets you use public transport at a lower price than regular fares, depending on conditions such as routes and validity period.

However, because there are so many types, travelers often face another round of decision fatigue.

TourCast introduces only the most essential options for first-time travelers, and is designed so that once you understand a few basic principles, other passes become much easier to understand.

This page explains only transport passes you can use in central Tokyo, and regional passes (Hakone, Enoshima, etc.) are covered in separate area guides.

Key passes in central Tokyo

1) Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Ticket

• Valid on all Tokyo Metro lines
• 24-hour ticket: Adults 700 yen / Children 350 yen
• Valid for 24 hours from the first time you use it
• Advance ticket: You can start using it within 6 months from the issue date
• Same-day ticket: Valid for 24 hours from the day you buy and start using it
• Eligible for Chikatoku (ちかとく) discounts
• This pass works only on Tokyo Metro lines. So it can be useful if you plan to use only Metro lines for one day.
• However, the Tokyo Subway Ticket, which covers both Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway, costs 800 yen for 24 hours and 1,200 yen for 48 hours, so the price difference from the Metro 24-hour ticket (700 yen) is not large.
• Some sellers call the Tokyo Subway Ticket a “Metro pass”, so this section is included to clearly separate the two.

Chikatoku is a service where simply showing a Tokyo Metro or Toei-related transport pass gives you benefits such as admission discounts or small gifts at many attractions.

Typical examples include:

• Asakusa rickshaw 10% discount
• Ueno Zoo souvenir gift
• The National Museum of Western Art admission discount

Currently, over 230 facilities offer benefits, and you do not need to register—just show your pass, so it is very easy. In each pass description, look for items marked as 'Chikatoku discount eligible pass'. This can help when choosing a pass.

Website

2) Toei Marugoto Ticket

• Valid on all Toei lines in Tokyo
• Includes Toei Subway, Toei Bus, Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line), and the Nippori-Toneri Liner
• 1-day ticket: Adults 700 yen / Children 350 yen
• The advantage is that it covers many routes including buses, but in practice many people end up using only the Toei Subway.
• It is a Chikatoku discount eligible pass, so you can get attraction discounts.
• It may look like it covers a lot, but the part most travelers actually use is mainly the Toei Subway.
• The Tokyo Subway Ticket (Tokyo Metro + Toei) is much more useful for only 100 yen more.
  • To be honest, you can skip this pass.

3) Tokyo Subway Ticket

Tokyo Subway Ticket

• Valid on all Tokyo Metro + Toei Subway lines
• Not valid on JR lines or private railways
• 24-hour ticket: Adults 800 yen / Children 400 yen
• 48-hour ticket: Adults 1,200 yen / Children 600 yen
• 72-hour ticket: Adults 1,500 yen / Children 750 yen
• It is often called a “Metro pass” or “subway pass,” but the correct name is the Tokyo Subway Ticket.
  Be careful not to confuse it with the “Tokyo Metro 24-Hour Ticket.”
• The 48-hour and 72-hour tickets offer excellent value, especially for longer stays.
• You can start using it only within the validity period printed on the back of the ticket.
• Because it is counted by hours, for example, one 72-hour ticket can cover most travel in central Tokyo for a 3-night, 4-day trip.
• If you board before the pass expires, you can still exit normally even if you pass the time limit.
• You can buy it in advance, or buy it on-site by showing your passport.
• Chikatoku discount eligible pass
• Discounts may also be available when bundled with the Skyliner, Keikyu Line, or limousine bus.
• However, some popular areas such as Kichijoji, Shimokitazawa, and Jiyugaoka cannot be reached with this ticket, so if you plan to visit them, use an IC card together.

4) Tokyo Metro + Toei Subway Common 1-Day Ticket

• Valid on all Tokyo Metro + Toei Subway lines
• Not valid on JR lines or private railways
• 1-day ticket: Adults 900 yen / Children 450 yen
• It covers the same area as the Tokyo Subway Ticket, but it is based on the calendar day (the date), not “24 hours”.
• Advance ticket: Can be used on one chosen day within 6 months from the issue date
• Same-day ticket: Valid only on the day you buy it
• Chikatoku discount eligible pass
• It is more expensive and less efficient than the Tokyo Subway Ticket, but the Tokyo Subway Ticket is sold only at airports and selected locations, while this ticket can be bought from ticket machines at almost all subway stations.
• So it works well as a backup if you could not prepare in advance or your plan changes.

5) Tokyo 1-Day Ticket 🗼

東京フリーきっぷ

• Valid on JR local trains (including the Yamanote Line) within Tokyo’s 23 wards, Tokyo Metro, and Toei Subway
• Also includes Toei buses, the Nippori-Toneri Liner, and the Toden (Tokyo Sakura Tram)
• Not valid on private railways
• 1-day ticket: Adults 1,600 yen / Children 800 yen
• In theory, it covers most public transport in Tokyo.
  However, many travelers do not use buses, the tram, or the Nippori-Toneri Liner often, so it may not be very practical.
• Compared to the Tokyo Subway Ticket (24-hour), the price difference is 800 yen.
  If you ride the JR Yamanote Line 4 times or more, this ticket may be better.
• But in practice, you usually need to take public transport 8 times or more in a day to break even, so it is not a strong option for travelers with a relaxed schedule.
• Available from ticket machines at most JR stations within Tokyo’s 23 wards

6) Tokunai Pass

都区内パス

• Valid on JR local trains (unreserved seats) within Tokyo’s 23 wards (includes rapid services)
• 1-day ticket: Adults 760 yen / Children 380 yen
• Valid on central JR lines such as the Yamanote Line, Chuo Line, and Sobu Line
• Very efficient for JR-based sightseeing routes, especially around Shinjuku, Shibuya, Harajuku, Ebisu, Ueno, Akihabara, and Tokyo Station
• If you estimate the average fare as 200 yen per ride, you break even at 4 rides or more.
• Easy to buy from ticket machines at most JR stations within Tokyo’s 23 wards