Checked with JR East pages
Welcome Suica: price, 28 days, and no refund
Welcome Suica is a Suica for visitors with no deposit. It works for 28 days including the day you buy it, and the balance is never refunded. Load only what you will use, and top up with cash when you run low.
| Deposit | None |
|---|---|
| Where to buy | JR EAST Travel Service Centers at Narita T1, Narita T2/T3, Haneda T3 (Tokyo Monorail), and Tokyo, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Ueno, Yokohama and Sendai stations. Welcome Suica machines at Narita T1, Narita T2/T3 and Haneda T3 (Monorail) only |
| Top up | Yen cash at machines with the Welcome Suica mark or Seven Bank ATMs. No credit cards. Up to ¥20,000 |
| Valid | 28 days including the day you buy it |
| Refund | No refund of the balance, ever |
| Good to know | The GOOD THRU date on the back is not the expiry. The expiry is on the paper you get when you buy it. A JR East press release (April 21, 2026) says 28 days from first use; plan on 28 days from the day you buy it to be safe |
Source: JR East, Welcome Suica: where to buy. Checked October 13, 2026.
When a regular Suica is better
- You stay more than 28 days.
- You will come back to Japan. A regular Suica keeps working for 10 years after your last use.
- You want your money back. A regular Suica returns the ¥500 deposit and the balance minus a ¥220 fee.
Using up the balance
Because there is no refund, plan to finish the balance. Pay at convenience stores and station shops on your last days, and pay the rest in cash if the balance is short.