Hanoi Train Street

The place in a few words

Hanoi Train Street is one of the Vietnamese capital's most unusual sights. Trains pass incredibly close to homes and small cafés lining the tracks. What many visitors don't realize is that there are two sections to explore: the better-known one north of the railway station, near the Old Quarter, and another to the south, around Lê Duẩn Street.

What we loved

Train Street became our little ritual in Hanoi! At the start of each day, we'd sit beside the tracks with a coffee and watch the neighborhood come to life. We loved seeing locals go about their day until a passing train suddenly interrupted the calm. Even after several visits, watching a train roll by so close to us was still pretty impressive!

Our tip

We recommend exploring both sections: the southern one by day for a quiet coffee, and the northern one in the evening for a beer and a livelier atmosphere. Take your time choosing a café you like, without giving in to the sometimes persistent touts. If you can, sit on a balcony: watching the train from above gives you a completely different perspective! Check train times on the day, as they change regularly. Ideally, catch two trains passing close together. There's also a tradition of having a coin flattened by a train as a quirky souvenir, although we don't recommend placing objects on the tracks.