Welcome Suica is a prepaid transportation IC card designed for visitors to Japan. It can make local travel and small purchases easier, but the physical card and Welcome Suica Mobile have different validity periods, charging methods, and device requirements. This guide uses JR East information checked in September 2026.
- Quick Answer
- Welcome Suica vs Welcome Suica Mobile
- How Long Is Welcome Suica Valid?
- Where Can You Get a Physical Welcome Suica?
- How to Get Welcome Suica Mobile
- How to Add Money
- Where Can You Use Welcome Suica?
- Important IC Card Area Restrictions
- Checking Your Balance and Usage History
- Welcome Suica vs Regular Suica
- Welcome Suica vs Other IC Cards
- Who Should Use Welcome Suica?
- Common Mistakes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Verdict
Quick Answer
- Physical Welcome Suica: a deposit-free card valid for 28 days including the purchase date. It is useful for a short trip when you prefer a physical card or do not have a compatible phone.
- Welcome Suica Mobile: an iPhone and Apple Watch service valid for 180 days from issuance. It can be issued and topped up in the app, subject to device, Apple Pay, country, and age requirements.
- Best choice: use Mobile if your device and payment method are compatible; choose the physical card if you want a simple card or cannot use the app.
Neither version requires a deposit, and the remaining stored-value balance is generally non-refundable. Add money gradually instead of loading a large amount near the end of your trip.
Welcome Suica vs Welcome Suica Mobile
| Feature | Physical Welcome Suica | Welcome Suica Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Physical IC card | Digital Suica on iPhone or Apple Watch |
| Validity | 28 days including the purchase date | 180 days from issuance |
| How to get it | Specified JR East service centers, airport machines, and listed sales locations | Issue it through the Welcome Suica Mobile app |
| Device | No phone required | Compatible Apple Pay device and supported iOS/watchOS |
| Deposit | None | None |
| Balance refund | No ordinary refund | No ordinary refund |
| Top up | Japanese cash at supported machines and locations | Apple Pay card in the app or Japanese cash at compatible devices and stores |
| Maximum balance | ¥20,000 | ¥20,000 |
| Best for | Short visits and travelers who prefer a card | Compatible iPhone users who want a longer validity period and app-based management |
How Long Is Welcome Suica Valid?
Physical Card: 28 Days
The physical card is valid for 28 days including the date of purchase. The period starts immediately when you buy it, not when you first tap it. It becomes invalid on the 29th day. Keep the reference paper issued with the card because it shows the validity period and other card information.
Welcome Suica Mobile: 180 Days
Welcome Suica Mobile is valid for 180 days from the date of issuance. When it expires, the remaining balance expires and cannot be refunded. Do not confuse this with the physical card’s 28-day period.
Where Can You Get a Physical Welcome Suica?
As of September 2026, JR East lists the following sales locations. In principle, one card is sold per person.
- Welcome Suica ticket vending machines: Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station, Narita Airport Terminal 2·3 Station, and Haneda Airport Terminal 3 (Tokyo Monorail) Station.
- JR EAST Travel Service Centers: the three airport locations above plus Tokyo, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Yokohama, and Sendai stations.
- Other listed locations: JAPAN RAIL CAFÉ TOKYO and TAKANAWA GATEWAY Travel Service Center.
Locations and temporary sales suspensions can change. Check the JR East Welcome Suica purchase page shortly before your trip rather than relying on an old station list.
How to Get Welcome Suica Mobile
In September 2026, Welcome Suica Mobile is available for compatible iPhone and Apple Watch devices. Android support is not yet available; JR East has announced Samsung Galaxy support for the first half of 2027.
- Confirm that your device, iOS or watchOS version, country, and Apple Pay setup are supported.
- Download the Welcome Suica Mobile app where it is available.
- Complete registration and save the secret keyword used for support.
- Allow location access when issuing or charging the Suica.
- Issue the Suica and add money with a supported payment method.
- Set it as an Express Card if you want to use ticket gates without Face ID or Touch ID each time.
Users must be at least 13 years old. In-app payments require an eligible card in the user’s own name registered with Apple Pay. Laws in some countries may prevent issuance or charging before arrival, so JR East advises trying again after entering Japan if the operation is restricted. Check the official setup guide before relying on Mobile as your only payment method.
How to Add Money
Physical Card
The physical Welcome Suica can be topped up with Japanese yen cash at compatible automatic ticket machines and fare-adjustment machines displaying the Welcome Suica mark. JR East also lists Seven Bank ATMs, including those at 7-Eleven and other participating convenience-store locations. Credit cards cannot be used to charge the physical card. The maximum stored balance is ¥20,000.
Mobile
Welcome Suica Mobile can be charged in the app using an eligible credit, debit, or prepaid card registered with Apple Pay. The official rules also permit cash charging in Japan at compatible devices or stores. The balance limit is ¥20,000. App issuance and charging are generally available from 4:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. the following day, Japan time, but maintenance and restrictions may apply.
Where Can You Use Welcome Suica?
Both versions work as Suica stored value where the applicable IC symbol is displayed. Typical uses include:
- JR local trains, participating subways, private railways, buses, and some taxis;
- convenience stores, vending machines, shops, restaurants, and participating coin lockers; and
- compatible transport in Suica, PASMO, Kitaca, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, SUGOCA, nimoca, and Hayakaken areas.
Look for the nationwide transport IC symbol or the relevant IC-card logo. Acceptance is not universal, even within a city. Limited express trains, Green Cars, reserved trains, and most Shinkansen journeys may require an additional ticket or reservation. See our Shinkansen ticket guide before assuming the stored balance is enough.
Important IC Card Area Restrictions
Nationwide mutual use does not mean you can make every journey with one tap. A Welcome Suica journey must normally begin and end within the same supported IC-card area. You cannot use it for continuous travel between separate areas—for example, directly from the Tokyo-area Suica network into the Sendai-area Suica network.
For a long-distance trip, a journey crossing regional IC-card boundaries, or a route involving a special railway, buy the appropriate paper or digital ticket in advance. If you are unsure, ask station staff before entering the gate.
Checking Your Balance and Usage History
- Physical card: check the balance and print usage history at compatible ticket machines, multifunction ticket machines, and charging machines in the Suica area. The gate also displays the remaining balance after use.
- Mobile: the Welcome Suica Mobile app shows history through the previous day, while Apple Wallet shows the current day’s transactions. Some JR East mobile-Suica-compatible charging machines can also display and print history.
Welcome Suica vs Regular Suica
A regular physical Suica normally requires a ¥500 deposit, remains valid until it has not been used for 10 years, and can be returned under JR East’s refund rules, including an applicable handling fee. The physical Welcome Suica has no deposit, lasts only 28 days, and its normal remaining balance cannot be refunded.
Regular Suica can be better for a repeat visitor who wants a long-lived card and can obtain one. Welcome Suica is simpler for a short visit because there is no deposit-return step. Welcome Suica Mobile is a separate visitor-oriented option with a 180-day validity period.
Welcome Suica vs Other IC Cards
PASMO PASSPORT is no longer a current alternative: sales and handling ended in 2024. Do not plan a 2026 trip around obtaining one.
If you arrive in Osaka or another region first, you may find a locally issued card such as ICOCA more convenient. Major cards have broad mutual-use compatibility, so a Tokyo visitor does not always need Welcome Suica specifically. Availability, refund rules, mobile support, and regional restrictions still depend on the issuer. Our IC card guide for tourists and Suica vs ICOCA comparison explain the basic choices.
Who Should Use Welcome Suica?
- Arriving in Tokyo for a short trip: the physical card is convenient if you can obtain it at an official sales location.
- Compatible iPhone user: Mobile is usually more flexible and has a longer validity period.
- Traveler without a compatible Apple device: choose the physical card or another locally available IC card.
- Starting in Osaka or western Japan: consider ICOCA instead of making a special trip to buy Welcome Suica.
- Tokyo sightseeing with many subway trips: compare stored-value travel with a subway pass using our Tokyo Subway Ticket vs Suica guide.
Common Mistakes
- Starting the 28-day clock too early: the physical card’s validity begins on the purchase date.
- Confusing the card with Mobile: their validity periods and charging methods are different.
- Expecting a refund: ordinary remaining balances are not refunded.
- Crossing IC-card areas: mutual compatibility does not allow every inter-area journey.
- Loading too much money: add smaller amounts near the end of the trip because unused value expires.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get the remaining balance refunded?
No ordinary refund is available for either the physical card or Welcome Suica Mobile. JR East has separate handling for a verified card or system malfunction, but that is not a normal end-of-trip refund.
Can a lost physical Welcome Suica be reissued?
No. A lost physical card cannot be reissued. For Mobile, JR East provides procedures to suspend the Suica and re-register it on another compatible iPhone after device loss or theft.
Can I charge the physical card with a credit card?
No. JR East states that the physical Welcome Suica must be charged with Japanese yen cash. Mobile can be charged through the app using an eligible Apple Pay card.
Does Welcome Suica work outside Tokyo?
Yes, at participating transport and stores in compatible IC-card areas. However, a train journey generally cannot continue across separate IC-card areas, and some operators or routes do not accept it.
Is Welcome Suica Mobile available on Android?
Not as of September 2026. JR East has announced Samsung Galaxy support for the first half of 2027, but travelers should check the latest official compatibility information before departure.
Final Verdict
Welcome Suica is a practical choice for short-term visitors arriving in the JR East area. Choose the physical card when you want a simple, device-free option for a trip of 28 days or less. Choose Welcome Suica Mobile when you have a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch and want app-based charging, history, and a 180-day validity period.
Whichever version you choose, confirm current availability, add money gradually, and buy a separate ticket whenever your route crosses IC-card areas or requires a limited express, reserved-seat, or Shinkansen product.