PASMO + ApplePay

Apple Pay • IC Card • Points • Rail • Suica | October 25, 2020

Great News! PASMO is now ApplePay compatible. It had been 4 years since Suica became the first one to be compatible with ApplePay but now travelers have more options.

PASMO basics

The PASMO Card is a reloadable money card

PASMO is a payment method for public transport in the Tokyo area issued by various private rail companies. PASMO is a contactless smart card similar to the Oyster in London and SmartTrip in Washington DC but with steroids. PASMO can be used for riding trains, taxis, and buses, and purchasing food and goods from various stores; anywhere that contactless payment is accepted.

A PASMO card is only sold at trans stations operated by private railway companies such as Keikyu, Keisei, Tokyu, Odakyu, etc. The purchase of PASMO can be made at a ticketing machine with a 500 yen cash deposit (note that the deposit cannot be used. It will be refunded once the card is returned).

Loading money can be done at a station ticket machine, at a convenience store, and by a bus operator on the bus. The annoying thing was that you could only top up the card by cash. Also, any balance left on the card can not be refunded.

What’s the news?

You can load money directly to PASMO using your iPhone

In October 2020, PASMO finally announced that it will be compatible with ApplePay. Please note that PASMO is not the first transport IC card to be compatible with ApplePay as Suica has been compatible with ApplePay since 2016.

This means that PASMO can be added to ApplePay as a payment method, just like Suica, and no longer required to hold on to the card when riding a train or purchasing an item. All transactions can be done by an iPhone. Of course, it is good to keep the physical card in case you want to return the card for a refund for the deposit.

So it doesn’t make much sense since most places where PASMO is accepted, ApplePay is accepted. What’s the point of setting PASMO as a payment method? The answers are clear. First, you cannot ride trains with ApplePay alone, you would need PASMO or other transportation IC cards like Suica and Icoca. Second and the biggest benefit of having PASMO as a payment method allow you to top up the card with a credit card. Apple’s website explains how to add money to PASMO using ApplePay.

Another added benefit is that the 500 yen deposit for getting a PASMO card will be added to the balance once the PASMO card is used as an ApplePay payment method. This is great as you do not need to return the physical card to get a refund for the deposit, instead, you will be able to use the deposit to ride a train or purchase something.

You can potentially earn 3% bonus points

You can earn 3% on PASMO purchases using Chase Sapphire Reserve

Topping up PASMO with a credit card allows you to store an exact amount of change in PASMO so when you return PASMO, there will be no balance left. Also, each top-up is categorized as “public transportation” so if you have a point-earning card with public transportation bonuses like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you will earn 3% on all top-ups. So if you buy clothes from Uniqlo or GU using PASMO

An even better thing is that since a PASMO (and Suica) top-up is categorized as “Public Transportation”, it will be counted towards the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credit and Chase Ink Preferred card.

Things to consider

This tourist only PASMO won’t work with iPhone

You want to make sure that your credit card does not charge foreign transaction fees and does not charge a cash advance fee for topping up PASMO. I topped up Suica multiple times using the Citi Prestige and Chase Sapphire Reserve, and there was no cash advance fee posted on my account but I would first top-up a small amount to see if the bank charges fees.

Also if you go to the PASMO website, they will direct you to the PASMO PASSPORT, a PASMO card for short-term foreign tourists. DO NOT BUY this. You need a regular PASMO to make the ApplePay integration work. This is the website that takes you directly to the regular PASMO. Unlike PASMO PASSPORT, regular PASMO can be purchased at any non-JR train station in the Tokyo area.

Conclusion

I am glad that PASMO finally let iPhone users top-up via ApplePay. In my opinion, if you have an iPhone, I highly recommend adding PASMO or Suica as a payment method. Here is the summary of the benefits of PASMO + ApplePay combination.

  • Eliminates the amount of cash you carry
  • You do not have to go to a station or store to load money to PASMO, it can be done within the app
  • Potential for point-earning opportunities
  • No need to return the physical card to get the 500 yen deposit refunded, the deposit will be added to the balance

For now, only Suica and PASMO are ApplePay compatible. Hopefully, other transit companies will follow so a travel IC card from Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya or Sapporo can be topped with ApplePay.