In recent days, the name Hanoi train street cafe has once again been "buzzing" on Vietnamese social networks, but this time not only because of its uniqueness or inherent romance, but also because of a dangerous situation that almost happened while the train was moving.
This incident has once again sparked a long-standing debate about safety at one of the "must-see coordinates" of the Capital in the eyes of international tourists, which has been highly praised by many travel bloggers. Although its irresistible appeal cannot be denied, concerns about risks are always a burning issue, raising big questions about the balance between tourism development and public safety.
Although very famous with international tourists, Hanoi's train street cafe has been warned many times by foreign press.
In fact, the story of Hanoi Railway Street Coffee is no longer strange in international newspapers, but it is not always pure praise. Besides acknowledging the uniqueness and impression of this place, many foreign writers do not hesitate to point out the potential risks, even deadly dangers lurking for tourists.
Typically, in September 2022, when information about the temporary closure of the railway cafe street was spread, writer Thomas Bywater of the New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) had a detailed article about this location.
Many travel bloggers consider it a "must-see" when visiting Hanoi, but it cannot be denied that safety concerns here are always controversial.
The author describes it realistically: "The 100m-long coffee shops along the railway line have become one of the top tourist attractions in Hanoi. Here, visitors can sip delicious cups of coffee, just a few meters from the railway tracks, where trains pass by every day." However, shortly after, Thomas did not hesitate to identify this as a "risky dining area", sounding the alarm about safety.
Similarly, the prestigious news agency CNN (USA) also called this area one of the most famous and typical tourist destinations in Hanoi - where tourists from all over the world flock to take photos and experience the thrill of trains running close to people. However, CNN also frankly emphasized that this place contains many dangers. Despite the fact that the train tracks are still in regular operation, tourists still freely sit, lie down, or pose right on the tracks to take photos, turning every "virtual life" moment into a potential great risk to safety, even life.
Many foreign news agencies consider this a "risky food court"
In late 2022, CNN went even further, listing Hanoi's train street cafes as "defunct" destinations that tourists should remove from their itinerary to avoid wasting time and facing danger. The newspaper commented: "The street has long been controversial, despite being famous around the world for the sight of trains running on the tracks between two shops just a few inches apart.
CNN also emphasized that this location is fraught with danger.
This place attracts tourists to experience the thrill of standing in the middle of the train tracks to pose for photos. However, the overloaded situation on the train cafe street has made this place unsafe, even the train has to stop for a few minutes to avoid people." This warning by CNN clearly reflects the deep concern of the international community about a tourist destination where human lives seem to be at risk.
The continuous warnings from the international press are not only a reminder for tourists but also a wake-up call for urban managers. How to balance between preserving a unique tourist attraction and ensuring absolute safety for residents and tourists is still a difficult problem, requiring drastic intervention and synchronous solutions from the authorities to avoid unfortunate accidents that can happen at any time on the "street of trains".
