Brian Jeffrey
On the evening of June 14, traffic officers in Hanoi collaborated with local authorities to conduct an unexpected check in the well-known Train Street café area, leading to the evacuation of numerous tourists after a close call involving a foreign visitor.
At 8 p.m., teams from the Hanoi Traffic Police Department’s Road Traffic Teams 1 and 2 joined forces with officials from various local people’s committees and police units from Dien Bien (Ba Dinh district), Cua Dong, and Hang Bong wards (Hoan Kiem district) to launch an initiative aimed at improving traffic safety in the Train Street café region.
During the inspection, Tran Phu Street, famous for its cafés adjacent to the railway, was crowded with numerous foreign tourists and locals who had gathered near the tracks, eagerly awaiting a train.
The authorities instructed café owners to dismantle their setups and required all patrons to vacate the area to ensure their safety. In response to the authorities’ arrival, many café operators turned off their lights, demanded patrons settle their tabs, and ushered them out.
Officers were also observed aiding railway staff in closing off safety barriers along the tracks.
A local café owner shared that the business thrives due to high demand from international visitors who seek the thrill of being close to a passing train.
Lieutenant Colonel Ta Xuan Hau, head of Road Traffic Team 1, stated that the unit regularly collaborates with local police to monitor and maintain safety in the area while addressing any violations.
In the forthcoming weeks, traffic police will persist in their cooperation with district-level law enforcement across regions intersected by railways, focusing particularly on the café strip from Phung Hung (Ba Dinh district) to Le Duan (Hoan Kiem district) to avert accidents and bolster public safety.
This incident followed a viral video posted on June 13 that underscored the risks present at Train Street. The footage showed tourists positioned directly within the railway corridor, trying to capture the train’s passage. The conductor sounded the horn three times as the train approached.
As the train drew nearer, a male foreign tourist, preoccupied with filming, stumbled and nearly fell towards the oncoming train. Fortunately, nearby tourists reacted quickly and pulled him back just in time. The commotion toppled several tables and glasses, alarming the crowd.
Dinh Hieu
