March is always the month for new train schedules and services and 2024 is no different. JR East will be adding a significant Suica service expansion to 21 stations in the Yamagata region on March 16, the first big expansion since the May 2023 Suica 2.0 rollout in Iwate, Aomori […]
Mobile Payments
NTT Docomo • JR East launch dPOINT Mobile SUICA recharge for dBARAI (Updated for Apple Pay)
JR East and Docomo announced a new version of dBARAI app today one that hooks into Mobile Suica on Android to recharge with dPOINT or dBARAI account balance. Support on iOS is expected to come soon. dPOINT/dBARAI joins an ever growing Mobile Suica recharge backend that includes major credit cards, […]
Mobile Transit
Is Mobile TOICA in the cards?
Now that we have Mobile Suica, Mobile PASMO and Mobile ICOCA that represent over 90% of Transit IC group card marketshare, most people assume that’s the end of the mobile story because the other cards are too small to roll out their own mobile service. Or are they? On the […]
Help Desk
Apple Pay Suica 101: In Progress transit and gate alerts
In the Tokyo region where Suica usage rates are well over 90% with Mobile Suica capable smartphones everywhere, generations of kids have grown up with it and are well versed using mobile payments of all kinds for all things. It seems that way for inbound visitors from Asia but that […]
Help Desk
Apple Pay Suica Wallet app recharge working for foreign VISA cards after iOS 17.2 update
The very long non-JP VISA credit card block by the VISA payment network for adding money to Suica in Wallet app via In-App Apple Pay is finally lifting with the iOS 17.2 update. The block started back in August 2022 and quickly extended to PASMO and ICOCA cards, a very […]