Phố đường tàu Hà Nội

Hanoi Train Street is a narrow alley in Hà Nội where trains pass just inches from residential buildings. The French built the tracks in 1902 as part of the line linking Hà Nội with Ho Chi Minh City. People come for the thrill of watching a train pass close enough that you could touch it.

The line first carried goods and people across Vietnam, and the city grew up around it. Trains roll through from morning until late at night. The alley is so narrow that residents clear away bicycles and even children before each pass. Tourists once stood dangerously close to the tracks for photographs, and safety concerns closed it to visitors in 2019. It reopened in 2023 with local cafés lining the street to serve them again. Chalkboards at the café doors list the train times.

When a train is due, the café staff wave you back towards the wall. The carriages then slide through the gap with inches to spare. Afterwards, daily life here resumes until the next train is due.