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Riding Hiroshima’s Trams: Destinations and the Current IC-Card Routine

A Hiroshima tram’s colour is not the way to decide whether it is yours. Read the destination and route number, then match them to the stop you want.

A Hiroden 1000-series tram at Hiroshima Station

If you use Suica, ICOCA or another accepted transport IC card, older travel instructions may be out of date. Since July 1, 2026, the procedure is to tap the MOBIRY DAYS reader both when boarding and when getting off.

Choose your arrival stop first

Save the name of the stop near your destination, not only the building name. Compare the stop information with the tram’s display: vehicles arriving at the same platform can have different destinations.

Hiroden’s official site provides route information and live tram locations. Look up the journey between your two stops rather than trying to learn the entire network. For a Miyajima day, decide which rail-and-port route you are using instead of juggling every possible option.

Trams travelling along tracks in the middle of a Hiroshima street

Top up before boarding

For one adult paying with a transport IC card, tap on and tap off. You cannot top up these cards on the vehicle. Use a suitable ticket machine or a participating convenience store beforehand.

If the balance is insufficient, you cannot combine the card’s remaining balance with cash. Pay the full fare with another card or another accepted method. Sorting that out before you board is easier than doing it at the exit.

Why your IC-card history may say “retail”

Hiroden’s transport-IC guidance says the card transaction history is recorded as 物販 (retail purchase), without the boarding and alighting stop names. That label is expected for this payment method; it is not a route record. Keep your own note of the journey if you need the stop details later.

Travelling with a child

A child IC card does not automatically apply the child fare. Speak to the crew before tapping when getting off. A single adult using a transport IC card can alight through any tram door, but child or discounted fares need crew assistance.

For a transfer, check the route rather than guessing

Hiroden has a transfer arrangement at designated stops for journeys such as those without a direct service. Read the official instructions for your route and payment method before travelling rather than assuming every change means buying a completely separate journey.

At the stop, read the next tram’s display; tap when boarding; have your card ready as your stop approaches. That is a manageable routine without memorising the network. If you are travelling elsewhere too, the IC-card guide explains the wider picture.

Information checked: October 3, 2026.

Official sources
Photo credits

Structure and selected guidance updated: October 12, 2026.