Street Train in Hanoi

Jan 2019

One of Hanoi`s hottest Attractions.

The Street Train in Hanoi is one of those things you have to see to believe.

Hanoi holds many curiosities for the traveller passing through the Vietnamese capital.

The hottest surprise amongst many others, is that you can see a train running down in the middle of the residential area of ​​the old quarter of Hanoi.

The inhabitants of this residential area

are used for the passage of trains and share the rails with them.

In the absence of trains, the inhabitants occupy the railroad tracks where they cook, pursue their businesses, hang up the laundry, chat among neighbours while watching the children play on the rails.

Having a coffee while waiting for the train

The track runs dangerously close to the train cafes, where you can enjoy coffee or little snacks. The train timetables are pinned on the walls informing about the trains passing through. Most, converted homes with only a few tables and chairs, stand just a little more than a meter from the line. While the authorities tolerate local residents walking along the track, many of the little cafes operate under the table.

The train is comming

After hearing the trains signal everybody is getting ready to bring its photodevices into position. Qickly the tracks are beeing cleared to make way for the train to come.

We need to literally press our bodies against the housewalls.

Thats the time, when you realize, how little space there is between yourself and the passing train.