So I visited the New Delhi World Book Fair 2025 on February 2, 2025. This being the second day – there was not much I could find on the internet and I had no idea of what to expect. I had many questions before the visit. And I guess many have the same question. So I am putting up this post to do my bit in answering FAQs about the NDWBF25. So, let’s begin.
If you want to know about dates and timings you can visit New Delhi World Book Fair, 2025 – When, Where and How To Buy Tickets
How to Book Tickets for New Delhi Book Fair 2025
Offline Tickets for NDWBF25
Offline tickets are available at some of the Delhi Metro stations. Not sure about which d=stations – but the Supreme Court Metro station has a ticket booking counter at gate no. 3 exit. You can expect a queue there.
Online Tickets for NDWBF25
However, I would suggest you to get the tickets online. You can get the tickets at the DMRC Momentum App (detailed post with screenshot here).
How to Reach Bharat Mandapam? – Nearest Metro Station
The best mode of transport to the Book Fair is the metro. Take the Blue Line and get down at the Supreme Court Metro station. Exit from gate 3 of the metro station and you will find Gate No. 10 of the Bharat Mandapan (Formerly Pragati Maidan). There will be bag checking and ticket checking. The queue is there but takes hardly 5-10 minutes if you reach there by noon. The crowd can be expected to swell during the afternoon.
Reaching the Main Hall Entrance
After the initial checking, you can proceed to the hall no. 2-5, where the fair is taking place. You can take the shuttle from gate 10 or you can walk. Walking takes around 6-8 mins and is quite near. However, even if you take the shuttle – you would need to walk inside the mandapam to reach the hall. Halls 2-5 are connected internally and hall no 6 is separate. Halls 2 and 3 have Indian language publishers and 5 and 6 have English publications. You can get the details of the publishers sorted by language here.
Is There Any Washrooms and Drinking Water Facility at Bharat Mandapap Book Fair?
The inside of the Mandapam has modern drinking water and washroom facilities with proper signage. So you don’t need to worry. Also if you want you can purchase a water bottle just outside the hall. Exiting and entering the hall needs no checking of bags or tickets.
Can I Get Tea and Coffee Inside the World Book Fair 2025?
Inside the hall, at the hall no. 2 side there is a small arrangement of stalls selling tea/coffee and appetizers. So if you need to refresh up with a cup of tea – you have it. Prices of tea and coffee are nominal starting at Rs40.
Is there and Lunch/Breakfast Arrangement?
Just outside the hall, there is a proper open-air food court. You have a choice of stalls priced around Rs150 – Rs300 per dish. You can get Dosa, Chole Bathure, Paratha, Chat, Pizza, Biryani, Rajasthani Food, etc. Also, all types of beverages and ice cream are readily available. They had a good sitting arrangement – but might have to wait a couple of minutes to get a vacant table.
How id the Rush at the World Book Fair?
I went there on a Sunday – and the rush was evident. But if you reach by noon – you won’t feel the rush. But by around 3:00 – the rush is at its peak. However, it’s not uncomfortable. However, at a few of the top publishers like Penguin, and Rupa Publications, the rush was really huge. I had to skip Pengiune Publisher in fact.
Which Publishers Should I Must Visit?
You can have a look at the list of all the publishers sorted by language at List of Publishers/Stalls at New Delhi World Book Fair 2025. Sorted by Language, and Halls
Some of the most important publishers you should not miss are.
- Rupa Publication (Ruskin Bond Collections)
- Bloomberry
- Herper Collins
- Penguin Books
- Crosswords
- Hachette India
- MZanohar Books
Are There Any Programs/Discussions?
There are ongoing programs and discussions going on. So check this list to see if you have something of your interest. I]had a chance to listen to a talk between Prakash Jha and Rubia Liakat. The seating arrangement at the discussion is great. You also get an opportunity to ask the panelist questions.
Is There Any Entertainment Programme?
If you are a book lover – you would be thoroughly entertained by books. However, if you need a change there are back-to-back musical programs at the amphitheater. So after shopping for your books – you can wind down at the musical feast.
Things To Do/Remember
- Check out the stalls from different countries.
- Don’t miss the Saudia Arabia stall. Loved the Arabic coffee we tasted there
- Don’t miss interacting with the foreign representatives.
- Check with the publishers to know if your favorite authors are visiting.
- Take bags with you to bring back 15-20 books. I had seen people carrying trolleys too.
- Don’t bother to carry water or food – it is available on the premises.
- It might get hot as afternoon approaches – so you might need to get your woolen off – so plan accordingly.
- You cannot possibly visit all the stalls – so make sure you plan for a 2-3 day visit.
- Wear comfortable shoes – you will need to walk a lot.
- Card and UPI payments are everywhere but still carry cash if there is any network issue. However, I did not face any network issues though.
Hope that helps you.
If you have any questions – please drop a comment – I will try to answer/
Happy book shopping!