Foreign tourists watch and take photos of a passing train at Hanoi’s Train Street on March 24, 2025. Photo by Anh Chinh
Police in Hanoi conducted a surprise inspection on Monday, forcing hundreds of tourists, including foreigners, to leave the popular Train Street due to safety concerns.
Upon seeing the police, many café owners along the tracks quickly removed tables and chairs and closed their businesses.
A commander of Traffic Police Team No. 1 stated that authorities had issued multiple warnings, but violations of railway traffic safety regulations at the Train Street continued to occur, posing risks of traffic accidents.
In the coming time, police officers will strictly enforce regulations, particularly along the section from Phung Hung to Le Duan.
Train Street, lined with makeshift cafes just feet from the tracks in the Old Quarter, was officially closed in September 2022 due to safety issues.
Despite barricades and checkpoints at both ends of Tran Phu and Phung Hung streets, several cafes continue to operate, attracting large crowds of mostly foreign tourists, especially on weekends.
Thousands flock to the area to photograph passing trains, leading tourism industry insiders to urge the government to consider turning the location into a tourist attraction rather than imposing a ban.
Nguyen Anh Tuan, a tour guide specializing in inbound tourism in Hanoi, explained that since shops on both sides of the railway tracks remain open, many foreign visitors continue to visit every day.
“When the authorities arrive, the shops close and customers disperse. Once the authorities leave, everything returns to normal,” Tuan added.
Earlier this month, the Hanoi Department of Tourism requested travel agencies to stop organizing tours to Train Street due to growing safety concerns.
Nguyen Anh Tuan, a tour guide specializing in inbound tourism in Hanoi, explained that since shops on both sides of the railway tracks remain open, many foreign visitors continue to visit every day.
“When the authorities arrive, the shops close and customers disperse. Once the authorities leave, everything returns to normal,” Tuan added.
Earlier this month, the Hanoi Department of Tourism requested travel agencies to stop organizing tours to Train Street due to growing safety concerns.
