8

Do tram lines and JR Ferry line in Hiroshima accept Suica cards for payment like it is used in JR trains, subways and local buses in Tokyo?

3 Answers 3

8

Tram lines in Hiroshima seem to only accept a local card (PASPY) and the JR West ICOCA card. This is explained on the website of the operator and confirmed by the table on this travel guide.

If by ferry, you are referring to the ferry that goes to Miyajima, then the same as above applies. (It's also in the table above and seems to be indicated on the website of the ferry)

So depending on where your first destination is, it might make more sense to get an ICOCA card, which would be usable in most places a Suica card can be used.

UPDATE 2018: As mentioned in a comment below, this has now changed and you can use Suica, or any compatible card on the trams in Hiroshima and the ferry. The links above are also updated accordingly. So you can now the Suica card you bought in Tokyo without any issues.

6
  • Thanks! I was better off buying a Street car pass which included Matsuda ferry and a discount for ropeway at Miyajima.
    – Dhina
    Mar 14, 2016 at 0:28
  • 1
    As an addition, if you have a JR Rail Pass, the ferry to Miyajima is free if you present the pass.
    – Compy
    Mar 18, 2016 at 14:37
  • Yes, I can confirm that, I did that myself. However you have to be sure to take the JR ferry then as there's also a ferry of another company.
    – drat
    Mar 19, 2016 at 2:46
  • 1
    @drat yes the other ferry is called Matsuda Ferry which is free with Street Car pass. Street car pass + Matsuda ferry costs 840JPY (having this gives discount at ropeway to Mt.Misen) and just the street car pass for 620JPY
    – Dhina
    Mar 23, 2016 at 0:47
  • 4
    Update: now you CAN use any of the ICOCA/Suica compatible cards where PASPY is accepted, but only for transportation (i.e., not as an electronic wallet). The other direction does not work (i.e. you can use manaca or TOICA in Hiroshima, but not PASPY in Nagoya). Also, you can't charge your card at a PASPY charging machine: you must go to a JR West station to do that.
    – xuq01
    Aug 9, 2018 at 3:44
9

I would like to update with new info: YES, starting from March 2018, you can use Suica cards or any other compatible card (PASMO, Toica, manaca, Kitaca, etc.) where PASPY is accepted, subject to two limitations:

  1. You may not use your card as an electronic wallet, only to pay for transportation;

  2. you cannot charge your card using the PASPY charging machines. Go to a JR West station (or convenience store that accepts ICOCA) to do it.

Also, this is uni-directional: you can't use the PASPY where other cards are accepted. Toica in Hiroshima, yes; PASPY in Nagoya, no.

Since the Hiroshima Tram and the JR West Miyajima Ferry are forms of transportation, you can use Suica on them.

UPDATE: I just rode on one of them. According to what the notices say, the PASPY discounts do not apply to users of other cards. So you'd pay a bit more.

Source: Japanese Wikipedia

0
8

No. The local card is called Paspy, and through an agreement the Icoca card of JR West is accepted as well. However, this does not extend to other cards which are usually "compatible" with the Icoca, such as the Suica, because Paspy is not a member of the nationwide group of cards which are all mutually compatible. More information about IC cards is available on japan-guide.

This is also true of the JR Miyajima Ferry, because it is not operated by JR West, but by a separate company. Remember that "JR" is not a single company but a consortium of many different companies, with varying levels of cooperation between them.

1
  • Thanks! I was better off buying a Street car pass which included Matsuda ferry and a discount for ropeway at Miyajima.
    – Dhina
    Mar 14, 2016 at 0:28

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .