Under an initiative announced by NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) on Tuesday (August 11), Indian travellers paying for eligible rides on PickMe through UPI will receive a 20% discount, capped at LKR 750 per ride.
The development adds local transportation to the growing range of expenses that Indian tourists can pay for digitally in Sri Lanka.
UPI is already accepted at several tourist attractions, pilgrimage sites, shopping centres, restaurants and other merchants that support LankaQR.
For travellers, UPI payments can be made directly from eligible Indian bank accounts, reducing the need to carry Sri Lankan currency for routine purchases and transport.
Travellers need to activate UPI International or UPI Global on an eligible account through their UPI-enabled application before making payments abroad.
India remains Sri Lanka’s largest tourist source market
Sri Lanka continues to be a key overseas market for Indian travellers. More than 531,000 Indian tourists visited the country in 2025, making India Sri Lanka’s largest source market for tourism.
The wider acceptance of UPI comes as digital payments become a more common part of overseas travel. For Indian tourists, its use in local transport can be particularly relevant for airport transfers and travel between cities and tourist destinations.
The discount on PickMe rides is part of the current initiative and is capped at LKR 750 per eligible ride. The offer is subject to the applicable payment and service conditions.
First Published: Aug 11, 2026 2:53 PM IST
