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Hanoi Train Street
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
poi · VN

Hanoi Train Street

Getting around: The most visited stretch is near Hanoi's central railway station, a short walk from the Old Quarter.
Hours: Trains pass through at scheduled but irregular times, roughly a few times a day — check current schedules locally, as access to the street has been restricted and reopened multiple times by authorities.

Train Street is a narrow residential lane in central Hanoi where the railway tracks run just a meter or so from people's front doors, cafes, and laundry lines — when a train passes, everyone on the street has to flatten themselves and their belongings against the walls as it rumbles through inches away. It became a viral photo spot in recent years, which has led authorities to periodically close and reopen it over safety concerns.

Access and rules have changed repeatedly, sometimes requiring you to be a paying customer at one of the cafes along the tracks to be let in, so check current status before making a special trip, as it isn't always open to casual visitors.

Hanoi Train Street FAQs

Is Train Street currently open to visitors?

It has been closed and reopened multiple times due to safety concerns — check current status locally or with your hotel before going, since access rules change.

Is it safe to be so close to the passing trains?

It's inherently risky, which is exactly why authorities have restricted access repeatedly; if you go, follow local guidance and cafe staff instructions closely.

Do I need to buy something at a cafe to enter?

Often yes — many stretches now require you to be a customer at one of the trackside cafes to access the viewing area.

What time do trains pass?

Schedules vary and aren't always precisely public; cafe staff along the street usually know the approximate timing.

Is it worth visiting given the restrictions?

It's a genuinely unusual sight if you can access it, but don't build your Hanoi day entirely around it given how unpredictable access has become.

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