PASPY

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This article is about the smart card ticket system. For the classical dance and music, see Passepied.
Various PASPY cards.

PASPY (パスピー, Pasupī) is a rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transit in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.[1] Its name is a portmanteau of pass, happy, and speedy.[2] Like other electronic fare collection systems in Japan, the card uses an RFID technology developed by Sony known as FeliCa, but was the first to employ an 8 KB capacity instead of the standard 4, owing to the need for more capacity to interoperate with the Hiroshima bus system.[3]

While the PASPY system accepts numerous IC cards from across Japan, PASPY cards cannot be used on in other areas. PASPY IC card service will end in March 2025 and be replaced with ICOCA.[4]

History[edit]

The system was conceived as an alternative to the magnetic fare system in place since 1994, which by 2008 was already beginning to show signs of wear; machines were needing to be replaced and customers preferred IC cards over magnetic fare cards.[5] The PASPY card launched with eight issuing companies, each with their own uniquely colored card, on January 26, 2008.[6]

On March 1, 2008[citation needed], the PASPY system also began accepting JR West's ICOCA card, but without allowing PASPY to be used at ICOCA terminals. This was seen as an expedient way to avoid having to obtain agreement from the entire ICOCA service area to have local campaigns and promotional discounts to entice Hiroshima residents to use the PASPY card, while still allowing for travelers from outside the area to use the more widely accepted ICOCA card and visit Hiroshima without having to purchase a PASPY.[7]

Subsequently on March 17, 2018, Nationwide Mutual Usage IC cards (specifically, Suica, PASMO, TOICA, manaca, ICOCA, Kitaca, SUGOCA, nimoca, Hayakaken, and PiTaPa) can be used in the PASPY area.[8]

The Kure City Transportation Bureau version of PASPY ceased to be sold on 1 April 2012, the Bihoku Kōtsū version ceased on 30 September 2014, while the Geiyō Bus version ceased on 31 September 2014. As a result, there are now only 7 colour varieties of new Paspy cards sold.[9]

Operators accepting PASPY[edit]

Those with a color in the "Card color" column issue their own version of the cards, while others just accept them.[10] Those with a strikethrough indicate the company has ended sales of their own cards, and thus that color of card is now unavailable.

Card color Operator Sales period Mode of transport
Light green Hiroshima Electric Railway (Hiroden) Present Railway (tram), bus
Yellow Hiroshima Rapid Transit (Astram Line) Present Railway (people mover)
Hiroshima Tourism Promoting (Miyajima Ropeway) Railway (aerial tramway)
Pink Hiroshima Bus Present Bus
Orange Hiroshima Kōtsū (Hirokō Bus) Present
Dark blue Geiyō Bus Ended October 2014
Blue Chūgoku JR Bus Present
Light blue Bihoku Kōtsū Ended September 2014
Green Tomotetsudou (Tomotetsu Bus) Present
Purple Kure City Transportation Bureau Ended March 2012
HD Nishi-Hiroshima (Bon-Bus)
Daiichi Taxi
Hirokō Kankō
Dark Green Chūgoku Bus Present
Setonaikai Kisen Ship (ferry and cruise ship)
Miyajima Matsudai Kisen Ship (ferry)

References[edit]

  1. ^ #Karii, Introduction
  2. ^ PASPYについて, from the PASPY official site
  3. ^ #Karii, 8-KB FeliCa Card for Bus Commuter Pass.
  4. ^ "交通系ICカードPASPYのサービス終了について". PASPY (in Japanese). 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  5. ^ #Karii, Background to PASPY Introduction
  6. ^ #Karii, Background to PASPY Introduction
  7. ^ #Karii, Introduction
  8. ^ "ＰＡＳＰＹエリアにおける全国相互利用ＩＣカードのサービス開始について". Paspy. Hiroshima Bus Association. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  9. ^ "PASPYの種類". PASPY. Hiroshima Bus Association. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  10. ^ PASPYご利用エリア, from the PASPY official site. Note that the list shown here in this article is not exhaustive, and does not list every company that accepts PASPY.

External links[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

Yasuhiro Karii. "Deploying Transport IC Card in Hiroshima Urban Area". Japan Railway & Transport Review (50): 28–31. Archived from the original on 2015-06-16. Retrieved 2015-06-16.

"PASPYについて". Hiroshima Bus Association. Archived from the original on 2015-03-22. Retrieved 2015-06-16.

"PASPYご利用エリア". Hiroshima Bus Association. Archived from the original on 2015-02-20. Retrieved 2015-06-16.

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