Editorial article:
Why JR doesn't accept international credit cards?
It is well marked in the ticket machines in JR stations, VISA and Mastercard logos. Since international credit cards are well accepted all over Japan, one would easily think that it would be the case in JR. After all, JR is the national railway company of Japan.
"Of course it will accept the credit cards since they are so well marked with the stickers in the machine" would a foreigner think.
But no, it does not. JR does not accept international credit cards.
Only domestic cards are accepted. Credit cards issued in foreign countries are no good. If that's the case, you'd better bring your cash because you will not have another option if you want to buy that shinkansen ticket.
I find this surprising. At least they should write to the machine, next to the credit card stickers that only cards issued in Japan are any good. Even better, they should write it in English.
I can only imagine the reasons why I can use my creditcard in fairly unknown small computer shop in Akihabara and not in Japan's largest railway company.
Now it's your turn. What do you think?
As you have successfully used American VISA in Nagoya suggests that this restriction might not be overall JR.
I will interview some of them and report back.
But once I was able to use a credit card for tickets at a "travel services" office in a JR station. It took them about 1/2 hour to get approval on the card, but they finally did it.
How annoying.
It seems that in the past 1 year the policy was not changed.
It is very strange for a national company to reject international cards.
If you want to travel by JR you have to carry a lot of cash.