When can you visit Train Street in Hanoi, Vietnam?
Plenty of commotion, shouting, and whistle blowing…
Here comes the train.. finally!
It was awesome ticking off another iconic travel activity.
A trip to Hanoi is not complete without a visit to Train Street, but with a great reputation, comes busy crowds, so I have written this blog to help you figure out when you can visit Hanoi Train Street.
To enjoy the best vibes, fewer crowds, and the perfect photo opportunities!
The train schedule can also change, so I have included the current one, which I got from a local when I was on the street.
I visited the street in both the daytime and nighttime, so I can give you a comparison of both experiences.
If you haven’t heard of Hanoi Train Street before, don’t worry, I will start with an introduction to the unique location.
Finally the train arrives.
Disclosure: I sometimes use affiliate marketing. This will not cost you anything, but helps with my travel costs. I only recommend companies I use myself.
An introduction to Hanoi Train Street.
Tucked away in the buzzing chaos of Hanoi’s Old Quarter is one of the city’s most talked-about (and Insta famous) spots—Train Street, or ‘Đường Tàu’ as it’s known locally.
It’s one of Vietnam’s most surreal and iconic attractions, where a working railway line runs just inches away from tiny cafés, family homes, and us curious travellers trying to experience daily life, the Vietnamese way.
But it isn’t just a photo trap, it is a place that’s evolved with the city over time.
When first constructed over a century ago, the tracks cut right through residential areas, including this narrow stretch that runs from Trần Phú to Phùng Hưng.
Fast forward to the age of Instagram, YouTube, and travel blogs, and suddenly the idea of sipping on an egg coffee while a train speeds past your knees became a must-do Hanoi experience, and a top photo opportunity.
Over the last two decades, Train Street has exploded in popularity. Today, many foreign travellers don’t just come to witness the moment, but to capture it, share it, and relive it through their photos, reels, and stories.
Managed to get a photo while it was quiet.
What is the vibe like?
As with most tourist spots in Vietnam, you are guaranteed to get an authentic feel of the local life in a very distinct culture.
The vibe at Train Street shifts dramatically depending on when you visit, as both times of day offer something totally unique.
I wanted to get a feel of the vibes at day time and night time, so I visited the street twice during my stay in Hanoi.
Here is what you can expect at the different times of day:
A nice evening ambience towards the end of the street.
Daytime - A place to chill and socialise with a coffee.
Train Street can be a fun escape from the chaos of Hanoi in the daytime.
Although the street is in a lively and chaotic pocket of Hanoi, with the sound of scooters echoing around the area, you can find some peace outside of the popular cafes.
As a solo traveller to Vietnam, I enjoyed sipping my egg coffee and observing the locals.
It is definitely still chaotic when the train arrives during the day, however, it calms down much faster than the night time buzz.
The daylight makes the place feel more open and airy, and it also gives you more chances to snap some epic travel shots while everything is well lit.
Locals enjoying a nice morning coffee.
Nighttime - Bright lights and lovely beer!
When the sun goes down, Train Street transforms into something completely different.
Bright cafe lights and neon signs are the only things lighting up the tracks, but despite this, the area is way more social, as visitors sip their Hanoi beers, and enjoy the exciting build up in between the train arrival times.
While it’s still tight and chaotic when the train arrives, the crowds tend to linger longer, so the fun definitely last long in the evening.
That said, it’s definitely harder to get the perfect shot at night, with low light, more people, and fast-moving trains aren’t the easiest combo for a good photo. But what you lose in photo clarity, you gain in atmosphere.
I found it a great place to meet other travellers, as I chatted to like minded backpackers in the local bars lining the tracks.
Enjoying a nice cold Hanoi beer.
How can you visit Train Street?
As of March 2025, there are more restrictions in place for tourists to visit the street, due to government safety regulations.
Access to Hanoi’s Train Street is restricted, and much of the area is now patrolled or blocked off to prevent overcrowding and unsafe behaviour
Some days the patrol is more relaxed and you can visit without any issues.
Contacting a licensed café to gain access on the stricter days.
Look for highly-rated cafés such as Railway Café, Cafe Ga Dong Duong, or Track 5 Cafe, and message them on Instagram or Facebook in advance, asking them to assist you with entrance to the street.
Most are happy to guide tourists in as long as you purchase a drink or food
It is very common for a member of staff to meet you at the barricades and escort you safely to their café.
Viewing from the second and third floors of cafes along the street is much more relaxed, and less of a concern for officials.
One of the entrance points to the street.
Visiting Hanoi’s Train Street is easy to navigate, but if it’s your first time, here’s a step-by-step guide to get you there from the Old Quarter.
I had no issues following these directions when I was in the Vietnamese capital:
Start at Hoan Kiem Lake.
Located in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, it’s a central and easy-to-find landmark.
Walk towards Ly Quoc Su Street.
From Hoan Kiem Lake, head to Ly Quoc Su Street, which will be a short 10-minute walk.
Then head down to Hang Bong Street.
Once you reach Ly Quoc Su Street, turn right onto Hang Bong Street.
Continue to Phung Hung Street.
Walk along Hang Bong Street until you reach Phung Hung Street. Turn left.
Find the Train Tracks.
Continue walking down Phung Hung Street, and you’ll soon see the train tracks running through the neighbourhood.
Follow the tracks until you find one of the local cafés or designated viewing spots. At night you will see the bright lights from quite far away.
Enjoy the Train Street Experience.
Once you’re near the tracks, find a local café (you’ll likely be invited in by the café owners), order a drink or snack, and settle in to watch the trains pass by.kly and safety is key.
Hanoi Train Street Schedule - Updated 2025.
Here is the most recent train schedule for the popular street.
These times can change at short notice, so only use these as a guide.
A local cafe worker provided me with this schedule:
Monday - Friday.
8.30am - 9.30am - 11.50am - 3.15pm - 7.50pm - 9.15pm - 9.30pm - 10.-00pm.
Saturday and Sunday.
6.00am - 7.15am - 9.30am - 11.50am - 3.30pm - 5.30pm - 7.30pm - 7.50pm - 9.15pm - 9.30pm - 10.00pm
Le Duan Street (Monday-Sunday).
6.10am - 11.40am - 3.30pm - 6.00pm - 7.10pm - 7.50pm - 9.00pm.
The train leaving the street.
No more group tours allowed!
Along with stricter visitor access rules introduced in March 2025, Hanoi has also officially banned group tours from visiting Train Street.
According to local sources, The Hanoi Department of Tourism has instructed travel agencies not to organise tours to the area, which spans Cua Nam, Hang Bong, and Cua Dong wards.
The large crowds across the tracks were made worse by very large group tours, which can become unorderly as the trains arrive.
My experience of Train Street was just before the ban was introduced, so I witnessed the congestion first hand.
Although the local cafe staff and shop owners do a very good job of clearing the way for incoming trains, the combination of narrow railway tracks and large groups made it much more difficult to safely organise.
A packed street with group tours.
This new regulation aims to make the experience safer and more enjoyable for individual travellers, and to protect both locals and visitors alike.
If you're planning to visit, make sure you go independently and contact a local café in advance, which is currently the only legal and responsible way to enjoy the famous street.
Is it just a tourist trap?
Although Hanoi’s Train Street has certainly become a hotspot for Instagrammers and tourists, leading to inflated prices and local vendors crowding the tracks between train arrivals.
It still maintained an authentic feel for me as I sat and soaked in the experience.
The location is deeply rooted in local life, with many people living along these tracks for generations, therefore, you will still see some Vietnamese enjoying the cafe culture within the street, and blending seamlessly with the visitors.
The vendors walk up and down constantly.
Regardless of whether it is a tourist trap or not, it is still a very worthwhile experience, as it is not very often you can sit and watch a train pass by just inches in front of you!
It is certainly a surreal travel moment which many will never get to experience.
Fruit, bread, and Donuts on offer.
The bottle cap tradition at Hanoi Train Street.
I heard about the bottle cap tradition at Hanoi Train Street long before I visited.
The quirky practice includes locals and tourists placing bottle caps (or coins) onto the railway tracks just before a train passes, so when the train rolls over them, the immense pressure flattens and imprints them, creating a unique keepsake.
So don’t be surprised if you see people placing things onto the tracks when you arrive.
Why do people do it?
Fun souvenir: It creates a one-of-a-kind, flattened bottle cap that international visitors keep as a memento.
Local tradition: Some locals and café owners encourage visitors to try it for fun.
Curiosity & thrill: The excitement of seeing an object transformed by a passing train adds to the experience of visiting Train Street.
Locals finding the bottle caps after train has just passed.
What happens when a train arrives?
When a train arrived into Hanoi Train Street, I noticed that the entire vibe shifted, very quickly!
It is an intense and exciting travel moment, that’s for sure.
The warning and clear up.
You will quickly realise that the train is on the way, as the calmness descends into chaos, with whistles blowing, locals workers gesturing and shouting, and tables and chairs being pulled out of the way.
This all happens at a very fast speed, with the locals being very professional.
The train appears.
By the time the train appears for the first time, guests are sitting back inside cafes, and the tracks are clear all the way across, other than the bottle caps laying on the tracks.
The train comes a lot closer to tourists than I expected, and at quite a speed!
The locals keeping order.
The locals clearing the way.
Back to some peace and quiet.
After the train has left the area, the table and chairs are quickly back out in front of the cafes, as the owners try and keep as many tourists in their establishments as possible.
Many people leave the street after grabbing their photos, so this is a better time to get your selfies on the tracks.
Clear and ready for the train.
How to capture the perfect photo.
That iconic Hanoi Train Street shot is a one-of-a-kind travel photo opportunity, especially now that it is more difficult to visit the famous street.
So how can you ensure that you capture the ideal shot?
Visit during off-peak times.
If you arrive in between train arrivals, you can get better angles when standing on the train tracks, without the heavy crowds.
Make sure you capture local life in your shots.
There aren’t many better spots to capture Vietnamese cafe culture than at Train Street in the capital, so when taking your photos, you should try and frame them with the locals enjoying coffee and good conversations.
This definitely adds authenticity and tells more of the cultural story.
Time your shots perfectly as the train approaches.
You will get plenty of warning before a train arrives, so make sure you capture the famous colourful trains as they enter into your space. This is a great way to capture the essence of the experience for future memories.
My poor attempt in a busy area.
Use different angles.
A wide-angle lens or a low camera angle from the middle of the tracks (when it’s safe!) can help exaggerate the narrowness of the street and the scale of the train
I found when using my phone that portrait mode was a good option.
Bright lights and street art offer unique backdrops.
Frequently asked questions about visiting Hanoi Train Street.
Train Street in Hanoi has become one of the city's most intriguing and controversial attractions. Below are answers to the most frequently asked questions to help you visit safely and responsibly.
Do you need to pay to visit Train Street?
Visiting Hanoi's Train Street is officially free of charge; with no entrance fee required to access the area.
However, due to safety concerns and previous incidents, authorities have implemented certain restrictions, which are on and off at certain times.
At times, access to the tracks is controlled, so tourists are typically expected to organise with one of the local cafes lining the tracks to gain entry.
You will be expected to purchase a drink or food.
How much time should I spend at Train Street?
45 minutes to 1 hour is enough time to watch a train, take some photos, and enjoy a nice drink in the unique setting.
You should plan to arrive around 30 minutes before the schedule train to get a good spot and enjoy the build up.
Is Train Street safe to visit?
Although the street is generally deemed safe, with very few incidents, there have been slight safety concerns, due to tourists standing too close to the tracks.
As long as you follow the rules, then it will be a safe and fun experience for you.
Is Train Street better in the daytime or at night?
This is completely unique to every visitor, coffee and a chat with less crowds appeals to many, however, a beer and a more lively atmosphere appeals to others.
I personally preferred the daytime out of my two visits
I recommend that you try both if you have time.
Morning visits can be less busy.
Some of my other Hanoi highlights.
Hanoi is an iconic city, and it is difficult to fit everything into your travel itinerary, however, I did fit a lot in before heading down to Da Nang and Hoi An for some more awesome travel experiences.
Here are my favourite things to do in Hanoi:
Café Giảng: The home of egg coffee – Discover the iconic Hanoi café where you can try the famous egg coffee in a cosy, and nostalgic setting.
Bánh Mì 25: Best bánh mì in Hanoi – My favourite food spot, and a must-try for food lovers. Bánh Mì 25 serves up one of the best Vietnamese sandwiches in the city.
A scenic walk around Hoan Kiem Lake – My morning strolls around the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, were a peaceful escape in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
Hoa Lo Prison: A glimpse into Hanoi’s history – I learned about the tumultuous history of Vietnam at the Hoa Lo Prison, also known as the ‘Hanoi Hilton’.
Visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – I paid my respects at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the father of modern Vietnam rests.
Ha Long Bay Day Trip: A breathtaking escape – I enjoyed a day trip to Ha Long Bay and explored the stunning karst islands, caves, and emerald waters on a relaxing boat tour.
Sapa Two-Night Trek: A journey to the mountains – I Embarked on a fun two night trek to Sapa, and trekked through lush rice terraces, before visiting remote villages in the scenic mountains.
Disclosure: I sometimes use affiliate marketing. This will not cost you anything, but helps with my travel costs. I only recommend companies I use myself.