Hanoi's Train Street: All you need to know

Train Street in Hanoi is famous, if not infamous, these days! So is it a tourist trap? Want to know the train street schedule? What’s my honest opinion? Read on to find out!

What is Hanoi Train Street?
Hanoi Train Street is a small part of the train track that is covered on both sides by little cafes. These cafes are notoriously close to the train - so much so that when the staff know a train coming, they ask people to move back a little. The train then comes whizzing by you and people love to grab a video of this moment + some fun Insta shots on the tracks themselves.

But first, we need to find Hanoi Train Street…
It can be tricky to know where to enter Train Street and one of the ends is often blocked off from entry.  Using Google Maps, search for “Train street coffee.” The address should show as “1 P. Khâm Thiên, Khâm Thiên, Đống Đa, Hà Nội, Vietnam.” This is where you want to go. 

This will take you to the main entry point. There may be a short barrier but just go stand near it and one of the cafe workers will invite you to come and sit at their cafe (if you have a specific one in mind, you can try calling out the name to see if their staff are nearby). I’ve heard since we went that there is no barrier some days however, in which case, you can just wander right in and decide which cafe you’d prefer. Either way, be prepared to have all the workers jostling for your attention and herding you to their spot. It can be a little intense but I’ve seen worse. You can come in and just take some photos but if you stay too long without a purchase anywhere, they may get testy with you - something to keep in mind + it is how they make a living.

My honest thoughts on Hanoi Train Street?
I was ready to write this off as a tourist trap - and, well, it is - but I also have to admit, I liked it! BUT, there are some definite caveats as well which I will share below.

Firstly, trains are infrequent - just a handful a day. The cafe people won’t tell you this either as they don’t want to lose your business so as soon as they approach you, ask to see the train schedule for the day before you commit to sitting at their cafe (use google translate with the microphone on if needed). They’ll usually have a little print out ready and you may want to come back if the wait is too long. You can find train street schedule online too but it is subject to change, so I wouldn’t rely on this alone in case it’s out of day.

Secondly, don’t go here expecting quality service, products and prices. I honestly can’t remember the name of the cafe we ended up at but most of them don’t seem to be anything special and have jacked up the price due to the train entertainment factor. I think that’s totally fair though and don’t blame them, but just come into the experience knowing this.

Thirdly, the train doesn't come flying by as quickly as looks in videos. In person, you’ll find it moves at a much slower pace and they make sure you’re a decent way away from it so it’s not a huge adrenaline-inducing experience by any means. That said, it still can be dangerous so please follow instructions for your own safety and to not ruin the experience for others. You can find out more about the risks here.

All that said, I was glad I came to check it out. We had about a 45 minute wait for the next train and we struck up a conversation with some other travellers to pass the time since the cafes are tiny. I actually liked that this experience offered us that opportunity to sit and connect with others.

We ordered a coconut coffee drink, chit-chatted and then got up to take some photos on the train line while we waited for its arrival. The staff were helpful in giving us a few warnings too so we were ready to capture the moment when the train came by. I liked the shared atmosphere and build up. I think it’s quite a photogenic spot and is nearby some other nice streets, sites and food places worth exploring anyway. We went during the day but there are evening trains and the lighting for photos looks great at this time of day.

Final review: 4 out 5 Iced Coffees 🥤

Are you planning a trip to Hanoi? What are you most keen to experience? Let me know in the comments below! Found this article helpful? Say thanks by buying me a (vietnamese) coffee.