Crackdown on Hanoi’s ‘train street’ cafes; know more about the railway track and what makes it famous

If you have visited Hanoi‘s popular ‘train street’ cafes, you would know how iconic they are.
For the unversed, the cafes are located on the famous ‘train street’ in the Vietnamese capital; it is an ‘Instagrammable’ location and a popular tour attraction. According to reports, however, there is a new crackdown on these cafes, which have been ordered to close. This is not the first time it is happening, though.
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The famous street sees trains travelling along a track that runs inches away from homes. In other words, the cafes are located in a narrow street, wherein houses and other establishments are all packed together.

According to a CNN report, the crackdown comes because even though the train track is still operational, there have been “security issues with tours who like to sit, lie down and pose on the tracks”.

In 2019, the outlet had reported that the municipal government of Hanoi and the local transit authority had ordered these cafes to shut, especially because they were catering to the tourism boom and it was proving to be dangerous.

But, there was some push-back. This time, however, the local government in Hanoi is revoking all licenses of coffee shops and other businesses located here, telling them that they have time until September 17 to wrap-up.

According to reports, the railway track is 117 years old. A Reuters report had previously stated that the railway was built in 1902 under French colonial rulers, and it goes to Vietnam’s northern provinces carrying passengers and cargo.
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