Overview
Built during French colonial times in 1902, Hanoi's Train Street is a narrow alley where the active railway runs directly between houses — sometimes with less than a meter of space on either side. The thrill of trains thundering past at close range, combined with cafes lining both sides serving Vietnamese coffee while you wait, made this one of Hanoi's most viral travel experiences. Police occasionally restrict access for safety reasons, but visitors are usually allowed in as cafe customers. Cafe drinks VND 50,000-100,000. About a 15-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, with the section near Le Duan Street being the most famous.
Opening Hours
24 hours (train passing times are the highlight)
Travel Tips
Check the train schedule in advance (usually 6-10 daily, with 19:30 and 20:15 being popular evening times). Step fully inside a cafe when a train approaches and always keep a safe distance.
Hotels near Hanoi Train Street
Hotels and guesthouses in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Other attractions in Hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake
A scenic lake at the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter, famed for the turtle legend and Ngoc Son Temple.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The grand monument enshrining the embalmed body of Vietnam's founding father Ho Chi Minh.
Hanoi Old Quarter (36 Streets)
A thousand-year-old maze of alleys, each street historically selling a different trade's goods.
Temple of Literature
Vietnam's first national university and a Confucian temple founded in 1070, featured on the VND 100,000 bill.
West Lake (Ho Tay)
Hanoi's largest lake with a 12 km shoreline, home to Tran Quoc Pagoda and a thriving cafe scene.
Halong Bay Day Trip
A UNESCO World Heritage bay studded with more than 1,600 dramatic limestone karst islands.