JR East will release the “Welcome Suica Mobile” app for foreign visitors to Japan on Thursday, March 6, 2025.
By using the “Welcome Suica Mobile” app, you can ride trains and buses using just your smartphone, and you can also make payments at some stores.
Eligible devices are iPhone and Apple Watch.
To use it, download the app, set it up, charge the card with the amount you like, and hold the card over the designated terminal.
The remaining balance is valid for 180 days, and refunds are not available.
In the fall of 2025, the service will support e-ticket services for the Shinkansen and ticketless services for conventional express trains, and in the spring of 2026, it will also be possible to purchase green tickets for ordinary trains.
[via=JR East]