Hanoi Train Street in Vietnam has become a very popular attraction in the capital. It feels almost unreal to be true. A train passes through incredibly narrow streets with buildings almost touching its body, just inches away.
Not many places like this exist. You can have a similar experience at Thailand’s Mae Klong Railway Market. Due to its unique characteristics, visiting Hanoi Train Street should certainly be a part of your Vietnam itinerary.
But visiting Train Street is about more than just getting a cool video—it’s about soaking in the vibe of local life, respecting the space, and enjoying a slice of Hanoi’s charm. We sat in one of the cafes along the tracks as the train passed by, giving us shimmers.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to visit — from the best times to catch the train to tips on how to enter the street. Let’s dive in so you can make the most of your visit!
Key Highlights
⭐️ Best time of day to visit: 7 am – 9 am, 5 pm – 7 pm
⭐️ How to get there: by taxi, bus, or walk
⭐️ Location: along Phung Hung Street or at Le Duan Street
⭐️ Best months to visit: March – April, September – November
Where is Hanoi Train Street & Different Locations
Finding Train Street in Hanoi is a piece of cake as long as you know its location. Before our visit, we didn’t know, that there were actually two different locations where we could watch the train pass down a narrow street.
Each of the locations has its pros and cons, which we’ll share with you to help you make a decision on where you prefer to go for this experience.
Hanoi Train Street 1 – the main one
The first option is to head north of the main railway station. It’s easy to find since it’s saved in Google Maps as Hanoi Train Street. Since the Old Quarter is just a stone’s throw away, it’s rather a convenient option.
But that also makes it more popular. It might be hard to enjoy the train passing without herds of tourists around. We suggest early morning or late connections for a more peaceful experience.
You might have also heard some news about local authorities trying to close the train street due to safety reasons. If you read Google Reviews, you’ll also stumble upon mentions of barricades & police on this one (you can still visit, and we’ll share how below).
Cafe owners might also try to persuade a bit too hard to buy something from them.
All of those are the problems you can encounter on the main train street.
Its advantage is definitely the proximity to the center, as well as a more lively atmosphere with numerous cafes lining up the street.
This train street can be entered along Phung Hung Street or Tran Phu Street.
Hanoi Train Street 2 – Le Duan
Another option is to head a bit further from the center, south of the railway station. You can save its location on your map. It’s located between Kam Tien and Le Duan Streets.
For some reason, it’s a bit overlooked both by tourists and police. We decided to visit this one and had an absolutely amazing experience.
Firstly, no guards or police were restricting access. That made it easy to enter the train street and stroll around.
Secondly, we only met a few other tourists here! Also, the local shop owners did not try to push us too hard to order something, and it all felt so calm!
Le Duan Train Street feels more peaceful both due to less tourists and less cafes along the tracks. But that doesn’t make this experience any worse. I’d actually say the opposite.
Getting to Hanoi Train Street
The best and most convenient way to get here is definitely by taxi or a motorbike taxi. We used the Grab app for the return journey, and it worked perfectly for us. After choosing the exact pick-up point nearby, the driver dropped us off right there.
If you’re not sure where it is on the map, just ask the driver. I’m sure they’re gonna know where to take you. Make sure you state clearly which of the two locations you’d like to visit.
Optionally, you can also use local buses. Google Maps will show you which connections to take and where to change if needed.
We decided to come here on foot and walked all the way from the Old Quarter, around the Hoan Kiem Lake. It took us 30 minutes to reach the Le Duan Street.
Best organized tours
Once you arrive in Hanoi, you’ll stumble upon countless organized tours and transport services offered on every corner. Especially if you’re strolling around the touristy Old Quarter. Because of this, it won’t be hard to find a tour to join.
We also recommend booking a one-day tour to Ninh Binh if it’s not already a part of your itinerary. The beautiful area is often called Ha Long on land thanks to its marvelous mountains.
TIP: If you prefer to book an experience online, we recommend the Hanoi Day Tour, which also includes a visit to Incense Village and hat-making.
Is Hanoi Train Street open in 2024?
After some research, you’re probably just as confused as we were when we planned our visit to the famous Hanoi Train Street. A bunch of articles published around the same time seem to claim the opposite.
You probably stumbled upon a few claims that the street is officially closed, reopened, or opened, not knowing what the truth is.
The government has been trying to permanently close the whole area to tourists for years now but without any success. After all, it’s hard to keep intrigued tourists away from such an unusual attraction.
Additionally, a bunch of cafe shops are dependent on tourism. They’d lose all their income if the street closed, meaning they’re gonna keep trying to keep the street alive.
First of all, the second Hanoi Train Street that we mentioned (Le Duan Street) remains fully open with no restrictions in place.
However, the main one is sort of closed – the main entrance is blocked and guarded by local authorities. That doesn’t mean that you can’t visit it, though. Keep reading to find out how.
How to enter Hanoi Train Street
When it comes to Le Duan Train Street, there’s no need to explain this point, as you can simply walk in following the tracks.
But the one in Old Quarter is a slightly different story. As we already mentioned, you can’t enter the street using the main entrance points. They’re all gonna be guarded by harsh and uncompromising security with barricades all over the place.
Yet, it’s still possible to get inside – all you need to do is find a local shop owner (or employee) and let him guard you to the street (and his cafe).
While this might appear simple at first sight, the reality is that many owners get slightly aggressive and pushy when trying to “force” you to go with them and visit their shop.
TIP: If you have a desired cafe where you’d prefer to go, we recommend finding the WhatsApp number on Google Maps and texting the shop directly to come and pick you up.
Sounds a bit complicated, doesn’t it? If all that hassle sounds like something you’d rather avoid, just visit the Le Duan Street.
Train Schedule
Answering the question when the train passes is probably the hardest thing of all.
The schedule keeps constantly changing. Many trains passing through are long-distance trains, which can easily be delayed – meaning it’s hard to predict the exact time they’ll pass the street.
The most recent train schedule we can provide is this:
Monday – Friday: 08:30, 09:30, 11:50, 15:15, 19:50, 21:15, 21:30, 22:00
Saturday & Sunday: 06:00, 07:15, 09:30, 11:50, 15:30, 17:30, 19:30, 19:50, 21:15, 21:30, 22:00
Monday – Sunday on Le Duan Street: 06:10, 11:40, 15:30, 18:00, 19:10, 19:50, 21:00
Personally, I would not rely 100% on this information. The best way to find out when the next train passes is either to try your luck and arrive or ask locals who might have the most recent information on the train schedule.
See, we also planned our visit based on a train schedule on one of the most recent blogs, but in reality, the time schedules shared by the cafe owners on Train Street were completely different. We ended up waiting at the street for quite a bit.
After we saw the first train pass, a friendly lady who was a shop owner told us to wait. A train from HCMC was delayed and it was supposed to pass in a few minutes.
Theoretically, the trains passing the Hanoi Train Street should be headed or coming from Sapa, Hai Phong, China border (Nanning), or Ho Chi Minh City. You can also check the train schedule online.
Best cafes to go to
The main Hanoi Train Street
- Railway Cafe
- ChuChu Railways
- Coffee Chill 96
Le Duan Train Street
- Hanoi 1990s
- 65 Railway Coffee
- Nam Vy Coffee 2
Best time to visit Hanoi Train Street
Regarding the best months, we suggest planning your trip in spring (March to April) or autumn (September to November). These months offer the most pleasant weather. Summer is too hot and humid, with heavy rains. Winter can get very chilly.
We certainly recommend avoiding the weekends, as they are generally more crowded. But if you’ve got no other choice, give it a try.
Day or Night?
I’d say there’s no right answer to this question. Both day and night have a completely different atmosphere. Obviously, having the chance to come both during daylight and at night is the best option. But we understand this might not be possible for everyone.
During the day, you can expect more crowds, but the light is also much better for taking photos. You can stroll around and explore the surrounding buildings.
We came at night and had a wonderful experience. All the cafes were decorated with cozy lights or lanterns, creating a lovely atmosphere. Also, you might expect fewer people in the evening.
We certainly had no regrets about coming early, and recommend you to do so, too. We ended up with a wide selection of seats, as no tourists arrived yet. Additionally, we had just enough time to stroll around and take some photos, as well as to order coffee and enjoy.
Background of Hanoi Train Street
The Hanoi Train Street is a part of the larger Reunification Line, which connects Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. It was constructed in the 19th century during the French colonial era. As Hanoi kept expanding and space was limited, new buildings grew closely around the track.
What I find the most interesting is that for decades these streets were just a normal part of local’s daily lives. We’ve heard that an entrepreneurial young woman saw opportunity in this, opening up the very first cafe to draw tourists in.
She was very successful. The street gained a lot of fame on social media in recent years, drawing tens or even hundreds of tourists to experience the thrill each day.
Is Hanoi Train Street safe?
Whether it’s safe to visit depends entirely on you and your behavior. As long as you follow the rules and respect the locals, it’s a relatively safe experience.
You should never stand on the rails as the train approaches, do not try to touch it or stand too close.
In recent years, there have been many close calls due to large groups of tourists gathering too close to the rails. In 2019, a man was almost hit by the train which managed to hit the emergency break and avoid a catastrophe.
Since then, the local authorities have been trying really hard to close the area off for tourism.
Where to stay in Hanoi
Best hotels in Hanoi
Check availability
Final thoughts on Hanoi Train Street
After spending a few days in Hanoi, we must say that witnessing the train pass through the narrow Hanoi Train Street was an unforgettable experience. Sitting there sipping our egg coffee while the train was moving just inches from our faces was CRAZY!
It’s certainly an experience not to be missed. So whether you’re in Hanoi just for a day or two, try to add this incredible attractions to your itinerary.
