Western tourists secretly experience coffee on the train tracks

Since September 2022, the authorities have erected barriers in the railway coffee street area and divided into 3 shifts a day to prevent people from opening illegal shops. However, the railway section from Tran Phu to Dien Bien Phu has recently seen coffee shops springing up close together, attracting a large number of foreign tourists. Near train departure time, the tables on both sides of the tracks are almost full.

Although there are signs prohibiting "Do not walk, stand, or sit on the railway" placed at both ends of the station, many tourists still ignore the warning.

Many people comfortably sat on the train tracks. “I thought that while the train was not coming, we could take advantage of this interesting space to experience a little bit,” said Taranpreet Singh (from India).

The bilingual English-Vietnamese prohibition signs posted at both ends of Tran Phu and Dien Bien Phu streets seem to have no effect.

Some other street vendors also took advantage of the absence of authorities to operate.

When the sirens of the police force sounded in the distance, the scene of the coffee shop on the railway street became chaotic. Many shop owners hurriedly cleared away the tables and chairs, inviting customers to sit inside.

Some other shops even rolled down their doors to avoid detection by authorities.

Tourists sit and enjoy their coffee. When the police officers pass by, many shop owners pull up their doors.

Some tourists waited for the security forces to disappear so they could continue to go close to the train tracks to take videos and photos.

Authorities discovered that there were customers sitting and drinking coffee in a house. They were immediately asked to leave the area.

At the head of the barrier, a joint task force is constantly on duty to ensure that no one enters or leaves the train area. However, some tourists still find their way inside through a small alley in a nearby neighborhood.

Tourists crowded behind the barricade at Tran Phu station after being asked to leave the restricted area by authorities. Many expressed regret because they had waited a long time to see the train without success.

A couple of tourists tried to squeeze through the barrier but were explained and invited out by the security force.

Isamu Yanoi (from Japan) and his girlfriend took a souvenir photo in front of the barrier. “I feel a little regretful, but to ensure the safety of tourists, this is reasonable,” he said.

Many tourists, after being asked to leave the railway area by the authorities, stayed in another area to watch the train run. For many foreigners, this is one of the interesting experiences not to be missed when coming to Hanoi.

Since September 2022, the authorities have erected barriers in the railway cafe area. The leaders of the People's Committee of Hoan Kiem District have temporarily closed railway cafes and revoked licenses of businesses violating railway corridor safety in related wards. Also in September 2022, the Vietnam Railway Corporation continued to send a document requesting the Hanoi People's Committee and the Vietnam Railway Authority to thoroughly handle the situation of trading and taking photos at railway cafes that are affecting railway traffic safety and order.

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