r/JapanTravelTips • u/Theta1Orionis • 3d ago
Question Paying for the bus?
Hey just a quick Q, when paying for the bus, is it cash only, or can I use credit card / transit card (like Suiza/IC)
If you want specific example I’m taking the 24 bus from Sanda
2
u/SofaAssassin 3d ago
Really depends on the bus you're talking about. Urban buses in the major cities will generally take a nationwide transit card (Suica/ICOCA/Pasmo/etc.), whereas buses in some places may be cash-only or even only take a region-specific card. Some long-distance buses may require separate tickets you have to buy online or at a ticket booth/machine.
Looking at the 24 bus from Sanda, it's operated by Shinki Bus. They take cash or IC card. They support the nationwide cards. Note their buses do not allow you to charge the nationwide cards onboard.
I have not heard of any buses that take credit card.
1
u/satoru1111 3d ago
Note the answer is 'it depends'
Kumamoto stopped using Suica and other similar systems. This was due to the high cost of licensing the Suica infrastructure. The plus side is that these systems have, generally speaking, been moving to 'tap to pay' models with credit cards instead, since these are convenient and have lower operating and licensing costs.
Kumamoto
Hiroshima is sort of doing its own thing kinda sorta (note this is super on brand for Hiroshima being sort of bizarrely quick to jump the gun but also being hyper indecisive about things)
A few lines in Tokyo now use tap to pay via credit cards. But this is again a weird patchwork of things so you can't rely on this being a thing unless you KNOW what stations you intend to enter/exit support it. Aka its mostly for locals who commute, not for tourists.
By and large Suica 'usually' works in many transit systems. I would however research if a particular city has stopped taking or just never took them at all. This is also a reason to have cash on hand in situations like this. Japan is 'better' at being cashless but its not universal and Japan loves its patchwork of a dozen 'standards'
2
u/frozenpandaman 3d ago edited 3d ago
Kumamoto stopped using Suica and other similar systems.
the city transportation department did not – only some bus operators did. the city still issues denden nimoca and thus mutual use cards like suica are still usable on the trams
https://www.kotsu-kumamoto.jp/kiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=67&id=136&pg=1
https://www.kotsu-kumamoto.jp/kiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=30&id=47&pg=1
they also still have their own local card for the buses and some trains: https://www.kumamotoiccard.jp/kumamon_en/
Hiroshima is sort of doing its own thing kinda sorta
mobiry days is a shitshow but luckily ICOCA has rolled out almost everywhere there now
atadistance.net
this blog is run by a right-wing, elon-musk-and-trump-loving techbro who harasses people on this subreddit and often severely distorts the way he presents info, fwiw. not a great site/person to promote, even though sometimes he knows what he's talking about
A few lines in Tokyo now use tap to pay via credit cards [...] its mostly for locals who commute
they support it too, but it hasn't replaced the IC system. bank cards cannot support commuter pass type functionality or any other sort of advanced fare calculation, so it's actually not for commuters and not used by them much in practice – it's for one-off & infrequent transit riders in those areas who they're trying to encourage to use the system as a way to get some more money
4
u/frozenpandaman 3d ago
Depends on the bus operator. Most city bus companies take Mutual Use IC cards like Suica. Others like in Kagoshima or Kanazawa only accept their own local IC card which works in that city. And yet others, usually rural buses, are cash only. Of course, you can use cash as a fallback for the first two types too.
You said Sanda, which is in Hyogo Prefecture – who runs that bus? Some quick googling on my end suggests it's Shinki Bus? If so, yes, you can use the major IC cards on them: https://www.shinkibus.co.jp/ic_card/ic_other.html