EX-IC
Encyclopedia
EX-IC is a contactless smart card
system that enables ticketless travel on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen
lines in Japan
. The system was introduced by JR Central
in March 2008 for use on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, and it was expanded to the Sanyō Shinkansen in August 2009.
Usage of the EX-IC system requires a seat reservation for either of the aforementioned Shinkansen lines to be purchased in advance; this may be done with a mobile phone or a computer that has an Internet connection. For Shinkansen passengers who intend to transfer to/from a conventional rail line, it is possible to stack the EX-IC card and another contactless card (such as Suica
, PASMO
, TOICA
, or ICOCA
) together and have them processed simultaneously by the card readers at the Shinkansen ticket gates.
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
system that enables ticketless travel on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō Shinkansen
Sanyō Shinkansen
The is a line of the Japanese Shinkansen high-speed rail network, connecting Shin-Ōsaka in Osaka with Hakata Station in Fukuoka, the two largest cities in western Japan...
lines in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The system was introduced by JR Central
Central Japan Railway Company
The is the main railway company operating in the Chūbu region of central Japan. It is officially abbreviated in English as JR Central and in Japanese as . Its headquarters are located in the JR Central Towers in Nakamura-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.The company's operational hub is Nagoya Station...
in March 2008 for use on the Tōkaidō Shinkansen, and it was expanded to the Sanyō Shinkansen in August 2009.
Usage of the EX-IC system requires a seat reservation for either of the aforementioned Shinkansen lines to be purchased in advance; this may be done with a mobile phone or a computer that has an Internet connection. For Shinkansen passengers who intend to transfer to/from a conventional rail line, it is possible to stack the EX-IC card and another contactless card (such as Suica
Suica
is a rechargeable contactless smart card used as a fare card on train lines in Japan. Launched in November 2001, the card is usable currently in the Kantō region, at JR East stations near Sendai and Niigata...
, PASMO
PASMO
is a rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for public transport introduced in Tokyo, Japan, on March 18, 2007.Pasmo is a development of the system used by many non JR railway lines in the Tokyo region...
, TOICA
TOICA
is a rechargeable contactless smart card ticketing system for JR Central railway network which was introduced in the Chūkyō Area of Japan on November 25, 2006.The name is an acronym for Tōkai IC Card...
, or ICOCA
ICOCA
The card is a rechargeable contactless smart card used on JR West rail network in Japan. The card was launched on November 1, 2003 for usage on the Urban Network, which encompasses the major cities of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe...
) together and have them processed simultaneously by the card readers at the Shinkansen ticket gates.