Hanoi proposes ending trains through iconic Train Street

Hanoi is proposing to stop passenger trains from running through the city’s famous railway coffee street, a move that could end one of Vietnam’s most talked-about tourist attractions.

Under a proposal submitted by the Hanoi People’s Committee, passenger trains from southern Vietnam would terminate at Hanoi Station, while trains from the north would end at Gia Lam Station. Passengers would be transferred between the two stations by other means, meaning no passenger trains would pass through the railway segment between Hanoi Station and Long Bien Station.

That section includes the narrow residential strip where cafés sit just inches from the tracks, a spot that has gone viral worldwide for photos of trains squeezing through tightly packed homes.

The city has asked the Ministry of Construction to instruct Vietnam Railways to implement the changes. Hanoi is also seeking the handover of national railway infrastructure assets on the Gia Lam–Hanoi Station section by the second quarter of 2026, paving the way for major urban upgrades.

Officials say the plan is part of a broader effort to preserve and enhance the historical value of Long Bien Bridge and the surrounding area, particularly the 131 stone arch vaults beneath the railway. The zone is envisioned as a cultural, service and tourism space linking the western edge of Hanoi’s Old Quarter with the eastern side of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel.

Hanoi has been working with the French Embassy’s economic agency on a technical assistance project to study the rehabilitation of Long Bien Bridge. The project includes safety assessments and proposals to restore the bridge while unlocking its heritage value.

City authorities say future development must strike a balance between conservation and urban growth, creating cultural, commercial and tourism spaces while protecting one of Hanoi’s most iconic landmarks, often described as a « living museum » embedded in the city’s collective memory.

Since 2018, cafés along the railway through Le Duan, Kham Thien, Tran Phu and Phung Hung streets have drawn thousands of visitors daily, forming the famous Hanoi Train Street, despite repeated bans and physical barriers.

Tourists continue to enter the area to watch trains pass dangerously close to buildings, prompting repeated warnings from Vietnam Railways about violations of railway safety corridors.

By Anh Duy – VnExpress.net – January 6, 2026