Stop experiencing 'train street coffee' to keep tourists safe

Over the years, the “train street cafe” or “check-in” on the railway has become a famous experience for many domestic and international tourists visiting Hanoi . The new feeling of sitting and drinking coffee right next to the railway, where the train passes, has attracted tourists. However, this experience is potentially dangerous for tourists and can cause disorder and disruption to railway traffic safety. In fact, there have been a number of casualties among residents and tourists.

Tragic accident while taking "check-in" photos

Hanoi's "Train Street" or "Train Street Alley" is a 2km long railway section, running through the old quarters, connecting Le Duan, Tran Phu, Cua Dong and Phung Hung streets. The train street coffee business model appeared around 2017 - 2018, at that time, there were about 30 train street coffee shops in Hoan Kiem district. However, after that, many shops continuously opened. Over the years, the train street coffee shop has always been a destination that attracts a large number of domestic and international tourists.

Before the train departs, visitors have to wait for hours to get a good seat. About 10 minutes before the train arrives, the shop owners will blow their whistles continuously, asking visitors to stay off the tracks and move to a safe place. When the signal signals the train is about to pass, all visitors are eager, ready with equipment to record this moment.

Many tourists share that they come to the railway cafe street not only to drink coffee, but also to experience the “thrill” when the train passes by. Tables and chairs are placed right next to the railway tracks, some people even run across the tracks right before the train runs. Tourists sit and drink coffee while the train is running and are only about 1 meter away from the tracks. While the regulations on railway traffic safety require a minimum distance of 3 meters from the safety corridor. For railway lines in operation, any activity that affects this safety corridor is considered a violation.

On the “train street” as well as the streets in Hanoi and other provinces and cities where trains run, there are on average dozens of trips every day. With the distance from the train tracks to the houses on both sides of the road being very narrow, just having a vehicle moving in this area makes it very difficult for people and vehicles to avoid each other. In addition, the habit of parking vehicles in front of the houses of households along the railway has made the already narrow railway even narrower. This has affected the safety of the railway industry as well as the lives of people taking “check-in” photos here.

I still remember, at noon on July 13, 2016, at the intersection between the residential road and the railway in Nhu Quynh town (Van Lam, Hung Yen ), a group of about 3-4 young men crossed the railway. Two people in the group stopped to take pictures. When the train approached, many people called out loudly but the two young men could not hear because they were wearing headphones. As a result, both were run over and died by the train.

At about 3:00 p.m. on July 10, 2022, HNA (born in 2006) and two other female students, both residing in Quang Ngoc commune, Quang Xuong district ( Thanh Hoa ), went to Cau Lac area (North-South railway bridge), through Te Nong commune to take pictures. While taking pictures on the railway, a train rushed in, the female students moved down the corridor to avoid the train. Because she forgot her bag, HNA ran back to the railway to get her bag, unfortunately she was hit by a train and died on the spot.

On September 18, 2022, while taking photos on the train street in Hanoi, a foreign female tourist "jumped over the fence" at the "train street" cafe area and then collided with the Lao Cai - Hanoi passenger train. The collision caused the tourist to be thrown into the wall and injured.

On June 18, 2024, a short video appeared on Facebook, recording the image of a girl running out into the middle of the train tracks to pose for a "check-in" photo when the train was approaching at a close distance, despite the train's warning whistle. The dangerous and unconscious actions of the female tourist made many witnesses extremely panicked. Realizing the danger, a man standing nearby rushed over and bravely pulled the girl to the sidewalk before the train passed. Fortunately, no unfortunate accident occurred, but the young girl's reckless actions still made many people scream and angry.

Image of a girl rushing out onto the train tracks to pose as a train approaches. (Photo cut from video clip)

The video was filmed at the railway coffee street section through Phung Hung Street (Hang Bong Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) on the morning of June 17. After verification, the People's Committee of Hang Bong Ward fined Mr. PNH (permanent residence at 5 Tran Phu Street, Hang Bong Ward) VND 7.5 million for operating a coffee shop without a business registration. The girl appearing in the video is a customer of Mr. P's shop and Mr. P. is also the one who pulled this girl out of the railway area.

This incident has raised alarm bells about the problem of "virtual living" regardless of danger, especially in high-risk areas such as train tracks.

Need to ban strongly and punish severely

Faced with the situation of unsafe and disorderly railway and urban traffic, in August 2022, the railway industry requested the Hanoi People's Committee to coordinate in handling the situation of tourists filming and taking photos in violation of the railway safety corridor; people selling coffee, drinks and other items at the railway coffee street (section belonging to Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh districts). In September 2022, Vietnam Railways Corporation coordinated with functional forces to set up barriers and checkpoints to prevent tourists from entering and exiting the "train street coffee", thoroughly handling the situation of taking photos and selling coffee here. In November 2022, a coffee shop on Dien Bien Phu Street (Cua Nam Ward, Hoan Kiem District) was fined for allowing Dortmund players to sit on the train tracks drinking coffee.

In April 2023, the Hanoi Department of Tourism issued an official dispatch requesting tourism businesses not to organize tours to bring guests to the railway cafe area to ensure security and avoid putting pressure on the railway safety corridor protection force.

Although there have been cases of fines, and despite signs prohibiting pedestrians from entering or leaving, many tourists still disregard the danger and take photos on the railway corridor. It is worth mentioning that despite the ban and warnings of danger, many coffee shops have continuously "sprouted" along Tran Phu - Dien Bien Phu Street, attracting a large number of tourists, despite the ban, causing disorder, traffic insecurity and potential risks of accidents.

And recently, in early March 2025, the Hanoi Department of Tourism issued Document 221/SDL-QLLH requesting that travel service and tourist transportation businesses in the capital not take tourists to the "train cafe" area. The Department of Tourism requested businesses to seriously implement this to ensure order and safety of railway traffic and urban order.

In addition, travel agencies and tourist transport businesses need to propagate and raise awareness among their employees about the risk of traffic accidents that may occur when tourists visit the "trainside coffee" business area in the three wards of Cua Nam, Hang Bong and Cua Dong; Do not introduce or organize tours to bring tourists to this business area. Actively coordinate closely with relevant functional agencies to promptly detect, prevent and promptly handle related violations according to regulations. The ban on organizing tours to this area is a measure to protect the safety of tourists, while demonstrating the determination of the authorities in restoring order and safety along the railway corridor.

Many people also believe that the authorities need to strictly handle violations and raise people’s awareness of traffic safety. Each individual and each tourist needs to be aware of their own value and protect themselves by obeying traffic laws.

Thuy Duong

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/dung-trai-nghiem-pho-ca-phe-duong-tau-de-giu-an-toan-cho-du-khach-post542401.html