Why Hanoi's Train Street still attracts foreigners despite ban

"The train street is one of my top 10 must-visit places in Hanoi," 28-year-old Singaporean Hong Lim said.

A train passing close to her caused a feeling of "excitement mixed with fear," she added.

Train Street, home to makeshift coffee shops just feet from the tracks in the heart of the old quarter, was closed in September 2022 due to safety concerns.

Although barricades and checkpoints have been set up at both entrances on Tran Phu and Phung Hung streets, several cafes continue to operate in the area, attracting large crowds of tourists, mainly foreigners and especially on weekends.

On Nov. 24 thousands of tourists flocked to the street to capture photos of the passing trains, and images of the street once again went viral on social media.

Tour guide Nguyen Duy Tuan, who primarily serves Spanish tourists, said many of his clients ask to visit the site as soon as they arrive in Hanoi, but he has to refuse their offer.

Yet, he receives messages from them showing off their photos and sharing their experiences at the street, he said.

"This place is very famous among international tourists, though it is not included in most tour itineraries."

Nguyen Van My, chairman of Hanoi-based Lua Viet Travel Company, said: "The more it is banned, the more tourists come."

The tourism industry lacks attractive products that can draw tourists, and, in the absence of alternatives, customers flock to destinations that offer thrilling experiences, he said.

Nguyen Tien Dat, vice president of the Hanoi Tourism Association, said: "Whether the train street should continue to exist is a question that needs to be addressed now."

Dat, who was born and raised just a short distance from the street, recalled that the area used to be "smelly, dangerous and a bit unkempt."

But since people began opening coffee shops along the tracks the area has undergone a complete transformation, a positive change brought about by tourism, he said.

"International visitors often seek new, unique and thrilling experiences."

This is why the street has become so popular despite the ban and barriers, he said.

Tourists use their smartphones to capture images of a passing train at Hanoi's Train Street, November 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Giang

The CEO of a travel company in the old quarter, who wanted anonymity, said: "Why don’t we take advantage of that and turn it into a tourism asset?"

Experts said if banning the use of the street proves impossible, control measures similar to those in Taiwan, where the release of sky lanterns on railway tracks at Shifen Street is regulated, should be adopted.

Dat said Hanoi could recognize the street as a tourist destination with strict regulations for its management.

Business owners could be required to fund safety measures like speakers and lights that warn tourists when a train is approaching, he said.

"We could even turn posing for photos at the railway cafe into an extreme sport."