In a bid to improve convenience for tourists in Tokyo, the metropolitan government’s Bureau of Transportation, Keikyu Corp. and other entities have announced an experiment with tap-and-go credit card payments at ticket gates in select train stations later this year. The objective of the experiment is to improve ease of entry and exit for travelers from overseas and is scheduled to begin on three lines – the Keikyu Line, which connects Haneda Airport and various tourist spots in Tokyo, along with the Toei Asakusa Line and Toei Oedo Line subway lines. The undertaking will cover nine stations on the Keikyu Line, including Haneda Airport’s two stations, Shinagawa Station and Yokohama Station, and around 20 subway stations that are frequently used by tourists.
Credit card trial to launch at selected train stations in Tokyo
During the experiment, passengers will have to tap their credit cards onto a designated reader installed at the ticket gate to gain passage. In stations where the pilot is not taking place, other payment methods such as cash will still be permitted. Furthermore, data procured from the experiment will be used to introduce a complete tap-and-go ticket gate scheme eventually. Tokyu, a railway company in Tokyo, has also launched a similar project on all stations excluding Setagaya Line on June 19.
The credit cards acceptable for the experiment are Visa, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Discover, and UnionPay. Furthermore, Mastercard is expected to join soon.
According to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism’s 2018 report, Japan saw almost 32 million tourists visiting in 2018, of which 72% were from Asia and 18% were Americans. These figures are projected to increase for the upcoming 2020 Summer Olympics to be held in Tokyo, with the Japanese government forecasting that a record 40 million visitors are expected to visit Japan the same year. By introducing tap-and-go credit cards, the stringent ticket purchase procedures involving the use of different cash amounts and the foreign language barrier can be sidestepped, increasing convenience and reducing waiting times for travelers, thereby providing a more pleasant experience to their stay in Japan.
