Question about Suica card (Tokyo)

[lemsip]

I'll be flying into Narita this week to start a year-long teaching contract.

I read that "Suica is the rechargeable prepaid IC card of JR East, valid on virtually all trains, subways and buses in the Greater Tokyo region."

I'll be teaching at 3 schools, and I just want to double-check that my teaching locations still lie within what they class as the 'Greater Tokyo region'. (ie. I don't want to buy a Suica and load it up with a lot of cash only to find it's not valid.)

My schools are at:

1. Hachimanyama Station (this should be OK, pretty central)
2. Motosumiyoshi Station (Kanagawa)
3. Tsurugashima Station (Saitama)

So just checking a Suica is valid in Kanagawa and Saitama?

If anyone can offer help, thanks.

[well_bicyclically]

I'll be flying into Narita this week to start a year-long teaching contract.

I read that "Suica is the rechargeable prepaid IC card of JR East, valid on virtually all trains, subways and buses in the Greater Tokyo region."

I'll be teaching at 3 schools, and I just want to double-check that my teaching locations still lie within what they class as the 'Greater Tokyo region'. (ie. I don't want to buy a Suica and load it up with a lot of cash only to find it's not valid.)

My schools are at:

1. Hachimanyama Station (this should be OK, pretty central)
2. Motosumiyoshi Station (Kanagawa)
3. Tsurugashima Station (Saitama)

So just checking a Suica is valid in Kanagawa and Saitama?

If anyone can offer help, thanks.

I would be surprised if there were NOT IC readable wickets at those stations. You school MAY issue you with a three month, point-to-point pass card. It is easier for accounting purposes and you can also use it on your days off if traveling within the same area. Your transportation had better be included in your salary.... otherwise, you are going to be screwed.

[Sterling]

Unless someone is picking you up from the airport, if you need to head into Tokyo on your own, then go for the SUICA CARD & (Narita Express train) NEX DEAL TO SCORE AN EXTRA Y1,500 ($14)... and there is no such thing as 'overloading' your SUICA - you can get a refund on it including the card deposit. Anyways, it'll work on the lines you indicated.

Upon arriving at Narita Airport, make your way to the nearest Japan Rail (JR) office once you exit Immigration (down the escalators).... however, remember NOT to activate your Japan Rail Pass ( http://www.japanrailpass.net/eng/en001.html ) (if you have one) or you'll simply be wasting money (buy the Japan Rail Pass only if you are planning to do some extensive travelling OUTSIDE of Tokyo, only buy it for that period of time, and activate it only AFTER you have finished booting around Tokyo).

Just take advantage of the SUICA CARD & NEX deal. For Y3,500 ($33) http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/suica-nex/index.html you will get yourself:

i] one ticket for the 90 minute ride on the Narita Express (NEX) from Narita Airport to Tokyo ... which would normally cost you Y2,940 anyways

ii] a pre-loaded SUICA debit card which can be used on almost ALL train and subway systems in Japan with Y1,500 in debits for you (plus a Y500 deposit which you can get back if you turn in the card)

C. The SUICA card can be charged at any subway station or JR Station in Y1,000, Y5,000 and Y10,000 increments. You can use it to ride the subways while in Tokyo. When you are ready to leave, go to a JR Office to get a refund on the card (Y500).

The SUICA also has a function available at the machines to provide a receipt and/or list of all your travels/purchases for expense reports etc. ... a lot of vending machines also use SUICA cards.

This Youtube video explains the whole SUICA-NEX deal step by step:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3K6NLBxiYA

To figure out how to get around Tokyo and the rest of Japan, use English-language sites:

Hyperdia http://www.hyperdia.com/en/
Jorudan http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/

[twelvedown]

Suica and Pasmo cards are just about the same thing.
They are really necessary.
(well they seem necessary these days)
I still see tourists stuck in the bowels of the Tokyo subway system trying to jam the wrong ticket into the wrong slot.
It should be printed right at the start of start of every guidebook on Tokyo.
'BUY A TRAIN CARD'

[Hijinx]

Suica and Pasmo cards are just about the same thing.
They are really necessary.
(well they seem necessary these days)
I still see tourists stuck in the bowels of the Tokyo subway system trying to jam the wrong ticket into the wrong slot.
It should be printed right at the start of start of every guidebook on Tokyo.
'BUY A TRAIN CARD'

Next:

'BUY A BEER'

[twelvedown]

Next:

'BUY A BEER'

Next:
'BUY ANOTHER BEER'

We're great at this!
We should write a guidebook.

Next:
'The goth lolitas in Yoyogi are no longer there.'


Any day of the week you can go there and see puzzled looking tourists poring over their guidebooks going 'yup this is the place...'

[lemsip]

Awesome reply Sterling (and everyone else).

Good to know what you load up is refundable in case it doesn't suit, though it seems it will. Thanks.

bicyclically, yeah transport is covered by my employer - but at least I'm at the Hachimanyama school 3 days a week to reduce commuting times (I'm living in Shimokita). Found this site to be pretty handy for working out fares and times: http://www.jorudan.co.jp/english/nor...norikeyin.html

Thanks again.