Keikyu Line Train in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo
20:00 JST, May 16, 2024
The Bureau of Transportation of the Tokyo Metropolitan Region, Keikyu Corp. and other entities said Thursday they would launch an experiment with tap-and-go credit card payments at ticket gates in select train stations later this year.
The experiment, which aims to improve convenience for tourists from abroad, will start on three lines: Keikyu Line, which connects Haneda Airport and various tourist spots in Tokyo, along with the Toei Asakusa Line and Toei Oedo Line subway lines.
According to the announcement and other sources, the experiment will be conducted at nine stations on the Keikyu Line, including the two Haneda Airport stations, Shinagawa Station and Yokohama Station. About twenty metro stations frequently used by tourists will also be part of the trial.
In the experiment, passengers with a credit card will touch a special card reader installed on the ticket gates to pass through. Stations where the experiment will not take place will allow other payment methods, such as cash.
The data collected from the experiment will be used for large-scale operation of tap-and-go ticket gates and to increase the number of stations with ticket gates that allow credit card payments. Tokyo Corp. started a similar demonstrative experiment on Wednesday at every station except that of Setagaya Line.
The credit cards that can be used in the experiment are Visa, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Discover and UnionPay. Mastercard is also expected to join the project.
