Rapica IC Card

• Information of Rapica
• Sale of Rapica
• Top up of Rapica
• Card Reader
• How to Top up
• How to passengers
• Contact Us

Information of Rapica

All paper ticket coupons and commuter passes have been superseded by the Rapica IC Card (a type of electronic card that can record and update the balance and other necessary information) to provide easier use of public transportation.

Rapica (or “Ride And Pay Intelligent Card”) is the nickname for the Kagoshima common-use IC Card issued by the Kagoshima City Transport Bureau, Nangoku Kotsu, and JR Kyushu.

About Rapica IC Card	You can pay the fare by simply passing the Rapica IC Card over the Card Reader when getting on and off. You can also apply to use your Rapica as a coupon ticket or a commuter pass for the city trams and city buses as well as universal coupon tickets on Nangoku Kotsu, JR Kyushu Bus, Kagoshima Kotsu, and Iwasaki Bus Network buses. One-day Pass is a paper ticket as before. The sale of paper tickets was discontinued as of March 31, 2005. (The sale of shopping coupons was also discontinued). However, the paper tickets you have already purchased will be available for the time being. If you have paper tickets issued by the Traffic Bureau, they can be transferred onto the Rapica IC Card issued by the Traffic Bureau. How to use the Rapica IC Card
Handy-dandy!	Easy Rapica will still work even when carried in a wallet or case. No need for small change, or an exchange You do not need small change, or to ask for change. Simply pay by Rapica. Touch and Go! Rapica will automatically calculate the fare between your stops. Therefore, you do not need to check your fare. Quick You can get on and off smoothly as it only takes 0.2 seconds for the Card Reader to work. Lower risk of in-vehicle accidents It will reduce the risk of falling in the vehicle while looking for or counting change. Various discounts A variety of discount services will be available– including a transfer discount, which was difficult with paper tickets. Eco-friendly Unlike paper tickets, you can use it repeatedly so it is environmentally friendly.
Please Note	If you want to “top up,” please let the driver know. Also, please let the driver know if: You are a child or one who qualifies for discounted rates. You wish to use the same card to pay for 2 people or more (please inform the driver before passing it over the reader).

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Sale of Rapica

Price	Price 3,000 yen Breakdown: 2,500 yen (credit) + 500 yen (card deposit) If you no longer need the card you can return it and get the 500 yen back.
Amount of credit that can be used at first purchase	Price 2,750 yen Breakdown: 2,500 yen (credit) + 250 yen (premium). Once you have purchased a Rapica IC Card, you can use it repeatedly by topping up. You can also apply to use your Rapica IC Card as a commuter pass (available only for Rapica IC Cards issued by the Kagoshima City Transport Bureau).
Where you can purchase a Rapica IC Card	Transport Bureau Ticket Sales Offices Head Office (Ue-arata-cho37-20) Shiyakusho-mae (Meizan-cho 4-4) Sakurajima (Sakurajima-yokoyama-cho 61-4) On board city trams and buses (please ask the driver)
Vending Machines	Vending Ticket Sales Machines or Top Up Machines Yamakataya (1F of Building 1 [Izuro-doori entrance], 1F of Building 2) Maruya Gardens (1F [Izuro-doori entrance]) Takapla (1F beside the escalators) Kagoshima Bank, Takamibaba branch ATM corner (Washington Hotel entrance, right side) Amu Plaza Kagoshima (beside 1F Information Desk) Daiei Kagoshima (1F Korimoto tram stop entrance) Prefectural Office (1F Administrative Office Shop) (only for top ups) City Hall (East Annex, 1F beside National Pension Division)

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Top up of Rapica

 

What is “Top Up?”	Top up means to deposit money onto the Rapica IC Card.
10% premium	If you top up 1,000 yen, you will have 1,100 yen on your Rapica IC Card: 1,000 yen (top up) + 100 yen (10% premium).
Where you can Top Up	Transport Bureau Ticket Sales Offices Head Office (Ue-arata-cho37-20) Shiyakusho-mae (Meizan-cho 4-4) Sakurajima (Sakurajima-yokoyama-cho 61-4) On board city trams and buses (please ask the driver)
How to Top Up	How to top up at Transport Bureau Ticket Sales Offices You can top up in units of 1,000 yen. Please tell the staff the amount that you wish to top up. (You can top up to a maximum of 60,000 yen.) How to top up on board You can top up in units of 1,000 yen. You can top up to a maximum of 3,000 yen at one time (and then you may top up again). How to top up at Vending Top Up Machines You can top up in units of 1,000 yen. Please follow the instruction on the screen.

 

How to top up on board

1. If you want to top up, please let the driver know.
   (Do not place your card on the reader yet.)
2. The driver will change the settings of the reader.
3. Place your card on top of the reader.
   (It will beep and display your balance.)
4. Feed your 1,000 yen notes one by one into the notes slot of the money changer.
   (The machine can accept 1,000 yen notes only. You can load up to 3,000 yen at one time.)
5. The monitor will display the amount deposited with each note.
6. Once you have confirmed the final amount that you want, the driver will complete the transaction.
   (The reader will make two beeps, and display the new balance on the monitor.)
7. Once you have confirmed the completion of the transaction, you can take your card off the reader.
8. You can confirm the card balance at the Card Readers next to the doors while the doors are closed.
   (You can also reconfirm the card balance after you have topped up.)
9. You can top up by yourself on board the city trams.

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Card Reader

The Card Reader is a machine that reads the information on Rapica IC Cards. Both the city trams and the city buses have Card Readers near the middle doors and at the front—one for “check-in” (the middle doors), and one for “check-out” (at the front).

Card Reader at the middle doors (check-in)

• It is installed on the city trams and city buses near the doors at the middle. Please pass your card over the Card Reader.
• A beep will sound if your card has been read successfully. You do not need to take a ticket.
• If you have a Rapica IC Card, the Card Reader will display the card balance. If you have a Rapica Commuter Pass, it will display the expiration date. Please do the same when you use the trams.

Card Reader at the front door (check-out)

 

• Pass your Rapica IC Card over the Card Reader on the fare box.
• A beep will sound once the fare has been deducted from your card successfully.
• If you have a Rapica IC Card, the Card Reader will display the fare and the card balance.
  If you have a Rapica Commuter Pass, it will display the expiration date.

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How to Top up

There is a button on the fare box for top up (as shown below). Please ask the driver for help if you have a problem.

Operation button/ Monitor	Instructions
	Press the green button to top up. Please look to see that the light at the left above the monitor flashes. If the light does not flash, it is set for changing money.
	Place your Rapica IC Card on top of the reader. It will display your current balance. Leave the card on the reader until the transaction is completed.
	Feed your 1,000 yen notes into the notes slot of the money changer. The monitor will display the amount deposited along with the premium. If you feed 1,000 yen, the reader will display “1,100 yen.” Please feed your 1,000 yen notes one by one. You can insert up to 3,000 yen.
	Press the red button to finish. The monitor will display your card balance after the transaction. Once you have confirmed the card balance after the transaction, you can take your card off the reader.

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How to passengers

Getting on

1. Pass your Rapica IC Card over the Card Reader near the doors (it will still work even in a wallet or case).
   Note: Please make sure to tag on while the door is still open. You do not need to take a ticket.
2. A beep will sound if your card has been read successfully.
3. The Card Reader will display:
   Expiration date (only for Rapica Commuter Passes)
   Card balance
   Ticket number at boarding
   Validity light
4. Please Note:
   The reader will beep successively to indicate an error if:

• You passed your card across too fast;
  so please pass your card across again.
• You have already tagged on.
  (The reader will announce this.)
• Only once the door has closed will you be able to check your balance (a beep will sound).

Getting off

1. Pass your Rapica IC Card over the Card Reader near the doors (it will still work even in a wallet or case).
2. A beep will sound once the fare has been deducted from your card successfully.
3. The Card Reader will display:
   Fare
   Remaining balance
   Expiration date (only for Rapica Commuter Passes)
   Number of adult and child passengers
   Ticket number at alighting
   Validity light
4. Please Note:
   The reader will beep successively to indicate an error if:

• You passed your card across too fast;
  so please pass your card across again.
• You did not tag on
  —in which case, the reader will announce this, and the driver will adjust the reader accordingly. Once he has done so, pass your card over again.
• You have insufficient funds on the card.
  The reader will announce this, and you will have to pay the outstanding amount in cash or ticket coupons. (Please refer to the How to Top Up section).
• You have already tagged off.
  The reader will announce this.

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Contact Us

Division, Sales promotion

〒890-0055 Kagoshima City, Ue-arata-cho37-20,

TEL 099-257-2102
FAX 099-258-6741

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