kansaiflyer

I'm wondering if you could add a digital Suica to your Apple Wallet and then charge the card using a ticket machine in Japan using cash. Or, can you not add a Suica without the step of charging it with a MasterCard or American Express card?

If you could add the card and then charge it "manually" in Japan with Japanese cash at ticket machines, then presumably, this would allow those who don't have MC or Amex cards to use digital Suicas in Japan.

Would this work, or am I grasping at straws?

lax01

We were attempting to do this as we had some spare cash that we wanted to add to our Pasmo and I found very few ticket machines with NFC (I think we saw maybe one). Obviously, YMMV but it might be easier to just get an Apple Card (free, easy to apply for, completely digital) to use to refill the Suica/Pasmo/IC

kansaiflyer

Thanks, lax01. Let me see if I understand you: Are you saying there were not many machines where you could charge your Pasmo with Japanese cash?

Do you know if one could add a Suica (or Pasmo) to their iPhone without adding some money to it initially with a MC or Amex card? I'm trying to figure out a way to add a card without MC or Amex.

paperwastage

a good chunk of the machines require you to insert the suica card (like an ATM), which is not possible for your phone.

https://kimi.wiki/life/charge-suica

Some of them allow you to place card on the surface, which would work for your iPhone.


I had an convenience store ATM, which opened up the drawer to reveal the surface, to top up suica. Not sure if you want to put your phone there

lax01

My situation was a bit different - I had a physical Pasmo card from a previous trip to Japan which I added to my Apple Wallet. I did not take the physical card to Japan on my latest trip (nor do I know if it even still works after adding it to the Apple Wallet). I *believe* I saw machines with NFC (what Apple Wallet uses to read the "virtual IC card" - but I did not use one and there were NOT a lot of them (where you could tap the Pasmo/Suica and top off using the machine with cash (vs. physical credit card).

I also don't believe (but I'm not sure) if you can add the Suica or Pasmo to iPhone without adding money initially. I imagine you probably have to add money to create the card though...would make the most sense. The process to add funds to the card in Apple Wallet is extremely easy as we did it 10-15 times over the course of our trip.

The Apple Card (assuming you are in the US, the credit card Apple offers) is a Mastercard and you should be able to apply and top off with that immediately...assuming you want a new credit card

kansaiflyer

Thanks, Paperwastage and lax01! Sounds like an Apple Card is a good solution. Also, I guess one could buy a Welcome Suica after arrival in Japan, and "import" that into their phone with a bit of value on it, and then top up their digital Suica using machines and cash in Japan. I mean, for those with an aversion to getting a new credit card. Anyway, thanks so much for the great info!

Daytona

Welcome Suica is only valid for 28 days. I don't think you can import that card to mobile Suica either.

Daytona

The physical card is permanently deactivated after you have added that card into mobile Suica (Apple or Android)

LCUF

Yup JR East's digital pamphlet on Welcome SUICA (https://www.jreast.co.jp/e/downloads...omesuica_e.pdf) specifially says it cannot be imported to Apple Pay so only works as a physical card.

lax01

yeah, I had a feeling this was the case (similar to the LA Metro TAP Card process) ! I realized you also can't see the full Pasmo card number in Apple Wallet so (for future reference), it might be worthwhile to take a picture of it in case you want to load and Shinkansen fares on it

freecia

Can you recharge mobile suica with a foreign ATM card via Apple Wallet? There's another thread which reminded me about Wise's ATM option along with Revolut which both seem to offer Mastercard and Visa. Both ATM cards issued in certain countries seem compatible with Apple Wallet jamar Would you happen to know?

It'd cost a bit in transfer fees but if someone already wants to hedge some yen, then that'd be one way to use the balance, esp. without mc and amex?

angetenar

For mobile suica and pasmo, if you download the appropriate app, that will display the full card number for Shinkansen purposes.

synergypi

I recharge mobile Suica or Pasmo with my Wise Mastercard/debit card yen balance; works well and no atm/transfer fees.

lax01

hah! Did not even know they had the app! Good to know for the future!

kansaiflyer

Quick update: If you have a physical Icoca or "normal" Pasmo or Suica (ie, not a Pasmo Passport or Welcome Suica), you can import it into your Apple Wallet, as most of you know. I recently landed in Japan and imported a physical Icoca into my Apple Wallet and it works perfectly. You can easily charge it at any IC vending machine, which you'll find in any JR station and many other places. So, you don't need a MasterCard or Amex to do this. Just for info, I actually got a MasterCard from my home bank and then discovered that you cannot link that particular card to Apple Wallet (thanks, Scotia!), so if you are going to get a credit card just to get and use a digital Suica etc, at least make sure that you can link that card to your Apple Wallet. However, as you can see from my experience, if you can get to Kansai and get an Icoca, you don't need to have any credit card linked to your Apple Wallet; you can just add money to your Icoca at any IC vending machine in Japan.