Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Thursday Oct 02, 2025
Monday, 29 September 2025 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
PickMe Book Fair promo
The Vega ETX for complimentary rides at the fair
PickMe bus to the Book Fair
PickMe booth gets busy
Visitors to the Colombo International Book Fair 2025 are now busy securing their entry tickets directly through the PickMe app, a first for the country’s largest literary gathering.
With just a few taps, PickMe’s Events feature lets users buy book fair tickets in-app and check in with a quick QR scan at special counters set up at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), offering a seamless gate-pass style entry without having to queue up.
To encourage adoption of the digital check-in experience, PickMe users become eligible for three free tickets anytime during the 10-day fair.
The Book Fair, running from 27 September to 6 October, is one of Colombo’s most jam-packed cultural events. Its location at the BMICH, slightly away from regular public transport routes, often adds to the inconvenience.
PickMe’s expanded role this year is designed to ease those bottlenecks and smooth the experience for both visitors and vendors.
While PickMe continues as the Official Mobility Partner, the company is introducing several services that extend beyond rides.
Special fare discounts will be available for visitors, while vendors can benefit from savings across PickMe’s Flash, Truck, Rentals, and Food platforms, services that will become essential in managing heavy footfall and logistics during the fair.
A highlight of this year’s partnership is PickMe Courier, offering book lovers the option to ship bulk purchases straight from the fair to their homes, islandwide, at just Rs. 100 per kilogram.
A dedicated PickMe stall serves as the hub for these services, where visitors can get assistance with bookings, and drop off their purchases for delivery or register as drivers.
To further improve access, PickMe has facilitated a free shuttle bus service from Borella to the BMICH, and in partnership with Vega Innovations, visitors are also able to enjoy complimentary rides in the locally designed Vega ETX — a nod to sustainable transport.
“Our involvement with the Colombo International Book Fair is about improving accessibility,” said PickMe CEO Jiffry Zulfer. “By introducing services like PickMe Events and Courier, we are not only helping readers get to the fair but also making sure their entire experience, from entry to taking their books home, is more seamless and convenient.”
