The Old Quarter in Hanoi displays an unusual residential landscape. An active railway track splits the middle of a densely populated residential corridor along Le Duan to Phung Hung Street.
Iron tracks stretch along the narrow street corridor. The position of the rails is installed directly in front of the doors of residential buildings.
Life on the Train Tracks
The area along the edges of the tracks is filled with a row of local businesses. Building owners utilize the front space of their homes to open coffee shops, restaurants, and small bars.
The presence of the shops changes how the street functions on a daily basis. Visitors can sit in the outdoor area directly adjacent to the iron crossing to enjoy their meals in the open air.
Daily routines in the narrow corridor continue throughout the day with a casual rhythm. Tourists come to the location to observe the local vendors, chat, and take photos around the train operational area.
The Narrow Corridor
The residential corridor on the Phung Hung line has very limited space for movement. The overall width of the alley from the left wall to the right wall of the houses only spans around four meters.
The main tourist zone packed with local businesses occupies a total area of only about 400 square meters. This narrow section extends along a short stretch of approximately 200 to 300 meters of the active line.
The empty space remaining on the right and left sides of the rails is a highly crucial area. The safe distance from the outermost edge of the rail to the boundary of the building wall leaves a space of only about 1.5 meters.
Narrow space constraints leave no room for carelessness along the tracks. Tables, chairs, or signs placed even slightly outside will instantly block the path of the oncoming train.
The Train-Time Rush
The train schedule changes the operational activities of local vendors periodically. The frequency of passing trains ranges between four to five hours once on weekdays, and then increases to one to two hours once during weekends.
Railway officers give a clear signal as the train approaches the area. Local vendors then warn the visitors to immediately step back from the crossing tracks.
Local vendors immediately pull all dining tables toward the shop fronts. Chairs that were originally outside are cleared away close to the building walls.
Local vendors direct visitors to immediately step aside to a safe place. Everyone is asked to stand flat against the concrete walls of the buildings.
The locomotive passes through and occupies almost the entire width of the residents' residential corridor. The distance between the body of the train carriages and the structure of the building walls leaves only a matter of centimeters.
The iron wheels produce a loud roar as they pass the crossing in front of the houses. A strong gust of wind rushes along with the movement of the train carriages, which completely blocks the entire view.
Rules vs Reality
Tourism in the train corridor faces serious safety regulation issues. The Hanoi city government authorities issued an official ban for the first time in October 2019.
The government prohibits the operation of local businesses along the railway area due to high safety risks. Safety barricades were strictly installed at the entrance to close access for tourists in September 2022.
Periodic monitoring was carried out by local security officers in the following years. The access closure policy continues to be updated to prevent accidents on the active track.
The reality on the ground today shows a different condition from the authority rules. Local business operational activities in fact still exist and run until now.
Local vendors have their own methods to direct visitors inside through alternative routes. The local coordination system keeps the tourism activity in the crossing area running.
