PiTaPa

PiTaPa () is a contactless smart card ticketing and electronic money system used predominantly the Kansai region of Japan. The name PiTaPa from "Postpay IC for Touch and Pay". In the Osaka area, PiTaPa is usable on the Osaka Municipal Subway and New Tram, Keihan Electric Railway, and Hankyu Railway. It launched on August 1, 2004.

Part of the Nationwide Mutual Usage Service, PiTaPa is usable on public transport across Japan. Unlike Japan's other major IC cards, PiTaPa operates as a post-pay system, rather than as a prepaid card.

System overview PiTaPa is operated by , a private company composed of various transit companies and transportation bureaus.

Unlike most other electronic fare collection systems and IC cards in Japan, including JR East's Suica and JR West's ICOCA which operate on a "pre-pay" basis, PiTaPa is a "post-pay" card. Usage of the card is charged to the customer's account, and each month the balance owing is deducted from a designated bank account, as in a charge card. As such, a credit check is required to obtain a PiTaPa card, and the allowable balance is capped. This prevents short-time overseas visitors or short-term residents of Japan from obtaining or using PiTaPa.

Beginning in June 2006, people over 20 could obtain a PiTaPa secured by a deposit in lieu of the credit check, although these cards could only be used to pay transport fares or in limited stores, without the electronic money functions of a normal credit card. This service was discontinued in March 2022.

The underlying technology behind PiTaPa is an RFID technology developed by Sony called FeliCa.

Card types "PiTaPa Basic Card" is the name given to the PiTaPa cards per se, and are issued by the Surutto KANSAI Conference.

Most traffic companies in the PiTaPa network issue PiTaPa-compatible cards of their brands, either on their own or jointly with other companies. The cards, called "PiTaPa Affiliate Cards" by the Surutto KANSAI Conference, typically are built within credit cards and have special services or discounts offered by its issuers.

In 2006, because of heavy marketing of the Affiliate Cards by the individual companies, Basic Cards constituted only 10–20 percent of all issued PiTaPa cards.

History The concept to introduce a smart card fare system in the Kansai region was first announced on July 7, 2001, by the Surutto KANSAI Conference. The Conference initially announced in April 2002 that they were planning to consign operation of the system to Hitachi and JCB, but switched to the Japan Research Institute and in July 2003. The name "PiTaPa" was made public on February 25, 2003.

After four months of initial monitor testing, the service officially started on August 1, 2004, with three participating companies: Hankyu, Keihan and Nose Railway.

Companies and bureaus accepting PiTaPa

In 2013, PiTaPa became usable in all major cities across Japan as part of the Nationwide Mutual Usage Service. Prior to this, PiTaPa had been implemented and released as part of Affiliate Cards by a variety of companies and operators:

Rail Company nameName of affiliate cardJoinedHankyu RailwayHANA PLUS Card †August 1, 2004STACIA CardOctober 1, 2007Nose Electric RailwayHANA PLUS Card †August 1, 2004STACIA CardOctober 1, 2007Keihan Electric Railwaye-kenet PiTaPaAugust 1, 2004Osaka MetroOSAKA PiTaPaFebruary 1, 2006Hanshin Electric RailwayCoCoNet PiTaPa Card †February 1, 2006STACIA CardOctober 1, 2007Osaka MonorailHANA PLUS Card †February 1, 2006STACIA CardOctober 1, 2007Kita-Osaka Kyuko RailwayHANA PLUS Card †February 1, 2006STACIA CardOctober 1, 2007Nankai Electric RailwayNankai Group Card minapitaJuly 1, 2006Semboku Rapid RailwayNankai Group Card minapitaJuly 1, 2006Kobe Rapid RailwayKOBE PiTaPaJuly 1, 2006Kobe New TransitKOBE PiTaPa July 1, 2006Sanyo Electric RailwayKOBE PiTaPaJuly 1, 2006Okayama Electric Tramway(no original PiTaPa brand)October 1, 2006Kobe Municipal Transportation BureauKOBE PiTaPaOctober 1, 2006Hokushin Kyuko RailwayKOBE PiTaPaOctober 1, 2006Kintetsu RailwayKIPS PiTaPaApril 1, 2007Kobe Electric RailwayKOBE PiTaPaApril 1, 2007Kyoto Municipal Transportation BureauKyoto+ OSAKA PiTaPaApril 1, 2007Shizuoka RailwayLuLuCa+PiTaPaSeptember 1, 2007 † Eventually merged and renamed to "STACIA Card".

Buses Company nameName of affiliate cardJoinedOsaka Municipal Transportation BureauOSAKA PiTaPaFebruary 1, 2006Hankyu BusHANA PLUS Card †February 1, 2006STACIA CardOctober 1, 2007Shinki Bus & Shinki Zone Bus(no original PiTaPa brand)February 1, 2006Osaka Airport Transport(no original PiTaPa brand)October 1, 2006Okayama Electric Tramway(no original PiTaPa brand)October 1, 2006Shimotsui Dentetsu(no original PiTaPa brand)October 1, 2006Ryobi Bus(no original PiTaPa brand)October 1, 2006Nara Kotsu(no original PiTaPa brand)April 1, 2007NC Bus(no original PiTaPa brand)April 1, 2007Shizutetsu Just LineLuLuCa+PiTaPaSeptember 1, 2007Keihan Buse-kenet PiTaPaOctober 1, 2007Keihan Kyoto Kotsue-kenet PiTaPaMarch 1, 2008Takatsuki City Transportation(no original PiTaPa brand)April 1, 2008Itami City Transportation(no original PiTaPa brand)April 1, 2008 † Eventually merged and renamed to "STACIA Card".

Other cards IssuerName of cardCompany nameSurutto KANSAI ConferencePiTaPa Basic CardSurutto KANSAI ConferenceHankyu Hanshin CardPersona STACIA CardPersonaTakarazuka Revue STACIA CardTakarazuka RevueHankyu Hanshin Dai-ichi Hotel Group STACIA CardHankyu Hanshin HotelsSTACIA+sai-ca CardBank Of IkedaAll Nippon AirwaysANA PiTaPa CardAll Nippon AirwaysSumitomo Mitsui CardSumitomo Mitsui PiTaPa CardSumitomo Mitsui CardNankai Electric RailwayKANKU CLUB CardKansai International AirportKansai Electric PowerHappy e PiTaPa CardKansai Electric Power

PiTaPa

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