Marq

Has anyone found an English site relative to the rollout of PASMO? I know it starts 18 March but wonder...

1. Can we turn in our Suica cards and get the balance transferred and our 500 Yen per card refunded?

2. How long will Passnet cards still be usable?

3. Will there be some form of volume discount or multiple trip discounts built into PASMO?

4. Will the current bus volume discounts still be present?

thanks,

Marc

hamburgler

Marq, I haven't found an English site but based upon what I've read through Google Translate off the various sites as well as Wikipedia here's what I know.

No need. In fact, you don't need to get a PASMO card, as there's interoperability between Suica and PASMO. So basically your Suica card is already your PASMO card and will work on the PASMO agency systems from 18th March.

No idea on this one. Not every Passnet provider is immediately supporting PASMO (though most major Tokyo transit agencies are from launch date) so I suspect they'll be sold for some time after launch, though maybe not by the agencies that have converted.

Not for train -- it's just like Passnet. Just a stored value card.

Not exactly, since the current bus discounts are tied to purchase and since your funds will now be fungible between all the agencies. Instead, you'll get a continuous "rebate" based upon your bus usage.

Note again that not all bus companies are going to be on PASMO from 3/18. My Keio Bus still doesn't have the PASMO terminal -- no idea if they will by 3/18 but some Keios are in the list of operating companies that will launch "later in 2007."

Here's the rebate amounts (these rebates come to you automatically as you hit the threshold, and are used on the next bus use according to what I have read. The rebates can only be used for bus and have a validity of ten years.)

At each of 1,000-4,000 yen of *bus* spending - rebate of 100 yen
At 5,000 yen - rebate of 450 yen (total 850 at this point, matching current card)
At 6,000 - 10,000 yen - rebate of 170 yen (total of 1,700 at 10,000, matching current card)
After 10,000 yen - start over again

hamburgler

Marq

Thanks for the reply. I also used google translations but didn't find near the information that you did. I am still waiting for the new machines to show up at the subway and train stations (I primarily use Keio). I have seen all the posters in stations but have yet to see one in English.

Do you know if PASMO cards will have a "fee" assoicated with the initial purchase of the card like Suica? For visitors, we were just planning on having some extra Passnet cards around as there is no cost. I don't know if that makes as much sense for PASMO cards or Suica cards. I guess I could always procure extras and then just turn them in at some point.

Again, thanks for the quick reply,

Marc

hamburgler

For the most part, all the train stations already have their PASMO pad; it's either covered up by advertising or just blank. All Tokyo Metro stations are ready (and starting last week have little PASMO ads where the touchpad will be). Keio is also confirmed as a launch partner.

I believe there will be the same 500 JPY deposit. However, with the Go! Go! PASMO! campaign, there will be 550 cards with a "bonus" load of 5,500 JPY on them at launch, so you could try your luck if you want to pick up some extras.

I already have a spare Suica for visitors, and plan on picking up a second when need be... will just return them when I leave Japan.

BTW, its probably worth noting that everyone will want to have one of Suica and PASMO and not both, as obviously if you hit the reader with your wallet you don't want to have both cards trying to access the faregate.

hamburgler

jib71

Great work guys! It's so nice to get the questions and the answers to ideas that were just beginning to germinate in my mind. ^ You're way ahead of me...

BTW - A few more related points / questions:

(1) Refunding SUICA deposit - make sure you use all credit first
I asked about deposit refunds when JR launched SUICA. I was informed that JR would refund the Y500 deposit, but there would be a fee for refunding any credit which was remaining on the card. (300 yen maybe?). I made a mental note to take the balance on my SUICA to zero before ever asking for that deposit back (relatively easy if you have one of the SUICA cards which can be used at certain convenience stores & drinks machines etc.)

(2) Passmo will allow you to register a card in your name - insurance against losing a card with mega bucks of credit on it
I have not worked out the details yet, but it looks like they're doing something like "Oyster" in London - If you register your name with the card and subsequently lose the card (or one of your overseas visitors inadvertantly takes it home with them), then the issuer can cancel that card and transfer the credit onto a new card for you. (Though, of course, you will lose your deposit).

(3) Have any of you guys upgraded to a mobile phone with the SUICA built in? Was it complicated

(4) Have any of you linked a credit card with your mobile phone SUICA? Was it complicated?
I would love to be able to link my Mileage Plus credit card to my SUICA so that it automatically recharges... and I earn miles for riding the train.
I've already started paying all the utility bills with my Mileage Plus card... and Mrs. jib71 can't understand why I leave the lights on all the time...

railroadtycoon

Passnet will be phased out like JR east phased out its prepaid card when suica rolled out, so don't worry you're passnet cards will continue to work for sometime when pasmo rolls out. There are systems now that operate on Suica and Passnet at the moment, Rinkai Line and Tokyo Monorail, (though on the Rinakai Line if you change to JR better to use a suica).

I have a Rinkai and Monorail suica card (different colors) + an Icoca (collected over the time visited), just keep them seperated.

Remember even though Pasmo is compatabale with Suica it maybe not be compatable with Icoca, and Pitapa (if you visit the kansai area), even though Icoca is compatable with Pitapa I can't use my Suica card on a Pitapa system (just tried the other day and gives me an IC card error). But I read these problems are being addressed and should be fixed where all you need is one card for both regions.

I'm not dead, just dead tired so I wont be back for another while.

Takubon

jib71-san,

I'm non-English speaker and afraid this post isn't able to make you understand, anyway I try to answer your question.

(3) Have any of you guys upgraded to a mobile phone with the SUICA built in? Was it complicated?
(4) Have any of you linked a credit card with your mobile phone SUICA? Was it complicated?

I have Mileage Plus card and linked it to mobile-Suica on my au mobile phone.
Some Japanese friend gave up to do it and one English friend (who understands Japanese well) could do it.

There is no English page and English version application
So I think it depends on how much you mind reading Japanese.

You can do it in following steps

1. Upgrade your mobile phone to "Osaifu-Keitai"(Felica-chip built in).Some "Osaifu-Keitai" can't be used as "mobile-Suica-Keitai", please be careful in selecting your new phone.

2. Access http://www.mobilesuica.com/ .
And click "Kari-kaiin-Toroku（会員仮登録）". Pre-registration page will open, you can fill in the registration form and register.
You can omit this step, if you omit this, you have to fill in same form on your small mobile phone and use your mobile phone key pad.

3. Download mobile-suica application to your mobile phone.
You can download via mobile phone company memu.Please see/read following Japanese page and find the way to reach that menu.
http://www.jreast.co.jp/mobilesuica/...oad/index.html

4. Activate mobile Suica application and logon using mobile phone e-mail address and password which you set in step 2.
(If you omit step 2, you have to register your information on your mobile phone)
It writes Suica user information to Felica chip on your mobile phone and you can use your mobile phone as Suica.

5. Charging by credit card will be available in 1-2 days after activation.

And please be informed that currently mobile-Suica doesn't have an auto-charge function and you have to charge before riding train. JR says mobile suica user will be able to use auto charge function in future. So we will be able to use it by the time when we become possible to use UA mile for upgrading SQ seat.

On charging and activating suica (and downloading Suica application), your mobile phone will access JR server via packet-data connection and packet-data access fee will be charged by your mobile phone company.

RichardInSF

So does this mean I will be able to use my Suica card on a Keio bus (and in addition, eventually get a discount for doing it)?

Also -- welcome to FT, Takubon!

jib71

^ ^
Thanks for the great advice - I can follow all of that. And welcome to FT.
(I hope we might see you at mabodofu nemawashi one of these days)

Yes. And you can charge it all to your Mileage Plus (or other program) credit card.

Now... will someone start a "best seats" thread for those Keio buses?

Takubon

RichardInSF-san,

Yes, you will be able to use Suica on riding keio bus.
And you can get discounts (as long as keio bus press release mentions so.)

On March 18th, Keio bus will start this service on bus lines which departs from following railway stations.
Keio-Line
Shinjuku,Hatsudai,Sasaduka,Hachiman-yama,Musashino-dai,Tama-reien,Higashi-Fuchu,Fuchu

Keio-Inokashira-Line
Shibuya,Eifukucho,Kugayama

JR-East-Line
Nakano,Koenji,Asagaya,Mitaka,Musashisakai,Higashi-koganei,Musashi-sakai,Kokubunji,Nishi-kokubunji,Kunitachi

Also served in:
Keio line Chofueki-Kitaguchi to Musashi-koganei(#91,#92)
Keio line Bubai-gawara to Kenko-Center(#52)

Not served in following bus line:
Local community bus line
Circle line departs from Shinjuku
Kunitachi to Seiseki-Sakuragaoka(#18)

(Original Japanese press release is http://www1.keio-bus.com/pdf/ic_card_service.pdf )

RichardInSF

Good news. As luck would have it, I will be in Tokyo for one day and want to use the Keio bus and that day is March 19, so I'll try it then!

I presume the circle line starting from Shinjuku is the 100 yen bus that goes by the Park Hyatt every 10 minutes, which I actually use a bunch, but I don't mind paying cash for that!

Marq

Given how much English language information is now available in train and subway stations, and how much literature there is out there on PASMO, I am surprised that I have not been able to find out any new info in English regarding PASMO.

I would like to find some station where, in English, I can:

1. Purchase two PASMO cards
2. Trade in two SUICA cards
3. Tie the PASMO cards to a US based credit card
4. Register the PASMO cards to local address and phone number

I frequent Oedo, Keio, and Nanboku lines so a stop along those (including Shinjuku and Yotsuya) would be most convenient. However, I would be willing to make a special trip if there was a location where I knew I could accomplish this in English.

thanks,
Marc

Scifience

Your best bet is undoubtedly a large station, like Tokyo or Shinjuku, or at NRT.

The bit about tying it to a US credit card and a local address will probably be somewhat difficult to do in English, though. If possible, I'd take a Japanese-speaking friend along.

patchmonkey

Will they even let you tie it to a US credit card at all?

I tried to do that while I was living there, both for my SUICA and for my Keitai's chip, and they told me that it was a no-can-do - Japanese cards only. (I don't see how they can limit it, as they took AmEx and AmEx is AmEx where ever you are, unlike Visa, but...)

Marq

Both Skyperfectv and Softbank are auto-billing to my DL Skymiles Amex. I never tried to link a credit card to my SUICA not realizing that that was an option.

Marc