The Penguin Card (Suica Card)
The penguin card was a breakthrough.
The penguin card was a breakthrough. We always wondered why lately at the station entry barriers (which are at any station) next to the ticket slot (the ticket or the monthly ticket disappear, are checked and appear again at the end of the barrier, if everything is o.k., otherwise a signal resounds and the exit door is closed) an about 10 cm sized circular card reading screen was integrated. From now on we simply put the Penguin Card on the reading screen and the exit opened immediately. It was the same story when leaving the station, but this time the due fare (depending of the traveled distance) was reduced automatically from the card account. It wasn’t necessary anymore to study tediously the complicated subway or train network map to guess the correct fare or to queue with proper money in front of the ticket vending machines or to adjust the improper entered fare at the Fare Adjustment counter when leaving the destination station.
Tokyo JR network ticket counter – with penguin card not necessary any more
The Penguin Card (or better Suica Card) can be recharged at any (!) station in Japan, and the present account can be checked as well; the cards are valid in some bus lines (more to come soon), in vending machines (more to come, too) and in restaurants.
500 Yen deposit you will get back when you return the penguin.
Once a penguin – always a penguin.
C&P