ICOCAイコカ
Written and edited by: JapanLiveNow
You can buy ICOCA if you need a card in Osaka or Kyoto. If you already have Suica or Hayakaken, you can use that card instead.
ICOCA deducts the fare from your balance for each journey. It is not an unlimited one-day pass. Buy any required limited express ticket or seat reservation separately.
Official information checked · Standard adult cards
Sources: JR West and other ICOCA issuers ↗
Where can you buy it, and how much does it cost?
- Issuer
- JR West and other ICOCA issuers
- Deposit
- 500 JPY
- Initial purchase amount
- Standard ¥2,000 = ¥1,500 usable balance + ¥500 deposit
Buy at JR West station machines or counters displaying the ICOCA mark. The standard price is ¥2,000; some machines offer other amounts. Other railway companies also issue ICOCA, so check the issuer on the back before requesting a refund.
The ¥500 deposit is paid when you first buy the card. You cannot spend it on transport or shopping, and you do not pay it again when topping up.
Official purchase and usage guide ↗ · Checked 2026-10-17
How do you add money?
Top up with cash at a station top-up machine or a convenience store offering IC top-ups. Available amounts and accepted banknotes vary by machine. The maximum stored balance is ¥20,000.
- Select 「チャージ」 (top up), then insert your card or place it on the marked reader.
- Choose an amount and insert cash as instructed on screen.
- Check the balance on the completion screen, then collect your card and change.
At a convenience store or counter, tell the staff how much to add. The card insertion order and available amounts vary by machine.
Official top-up and usage guide ↗Checked 2026-10-17
Can you use it nationwide?
Use it on trains and buses displaying the nationwide IC acceptance mark. You need a separate ticket for a journey across different IC service areas or to a station that does not accept IC cards.
On trains and buses
Tap the same card when entering and leaving train gates. With a mobile card, use the same device to exit. Buses may require a tap on boarding, on getting off, or both; follow the signs at the door and on board.
Each train passenger needs a separate card. Buy a ticket for the whole journey before travelling across separate IC service areas or to a station that does not accept the card.
At convenience stores, hotels and shops
Use it at convenience stores, restaurants, vending machines and shops displaying the IC payment mark. Only participating hotels accept it; acceptance for room charges and payment limits vary by hotel.
Say the card name at checkout, then tap when the amount appears on the reader. If your balance is too low, ask whether the shop allows split payment with cash or another card.
Official coverage and exceptions ↗ · Checked 2026-10-17
Where can you get a refund, and what is the fee?
Return a JR West-issued ICOCA to a JR West counter handling ICOCA. If another railway issued it, use that company’s refund counter. Mobile ICOCA refunds are requested in the app, rather than at a station.
Remaining balance − refund fee + deposit
If the balance is lower than the fee, only the remaining balance is deducted. Points and commuter passes are handled separately. Rounding rules and identification requirements differ by card.
You can keep the card for another trip. To return it now, check the refund counter’s opening hours and bring your card and any required identification.
ICOCA Official refund locations and conditions ↗ · Checked 2026-10-17
Can you use it without a physical card?
Add a new ICOCA in Apple Wallet or transfer an eligible physical ICOCA. Then tap your iPhone or Apple Watch for participating transport and shop payments. Request a balance refund separately in the app.
After transferring a card to Wallet, the physical card stops working and refunds follow the mobile procedure. If you plan to return your card at a station, read the mobile refund conditions before transferring it.
Apple Wallet setup and top-up steps →Sources: Apple Support · Checked 2026-10-17