French and New Zealand newspapers report on the closure of Hanoi's railway street.

On the morning of September 19th, the NZ Herald (New Zealand) reported, "Cafes on Hanoi's railway street have been ordered closed, with a proposed fine for those taking photos." Thomas Bywater of the newspaper called this a risky dining area.

However, its appeal is undeniable. The hashtag #TrainStreet on a social media platform shows that more than 40,000 photos have been taken there. In fact, this is not the first time the train street has been closed. Nevertheless, some people have secretly reopened it hoping to profit when international tourists return to Vietnam.

Phố đường tàu tiếp tục bị dẹp. Ảnh: CNN — The street along the railway line continues to be cleared. Photo: CNN

"The cafes stretching 100 meters along the narrow-gauge railway have become a top tourist attraction in Hanoi. However, the small space is not enough to accommodate both the train and the tourists. Authorities have ordered them closed to ensure safety," Bywater wrote.

Earlier, on September 16th, France24 also interviewed tourists who had visited the train street. The majority expressed disappointment at the decision to close the famous area.

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Jay Arriola, from England, had heard about this neighborhood from his girlfriend. He planned to go to the highest cafe to get a better view as the train passed by. Also, being higher up would be safer.

"I was quite disappointed to hear that it had been shut down," he told France24.

Nhiều chủ quán không vui với quyết định đóng cửa. Ảnh: Unsplash — Many shop owners are unhappy with the decision to close. Photo: Unsplash

Meanwhile, the restaurant owners were also unhappy about the decision to close. Nguyen Thi Thu, a restaurant owner here, told AFP that they had gained additional income thanks to the return of tourists. On the other hand, the owners were all conscious of ensuring safety when the train arrived.

"When the train passes by, we always ask passengers to stand together. There's no danger at all," Thu said.

Lilit Marcus of CNN Travel (USA) also highlighted that there were many conflicting opinions regarding the closure of this neighborhood in 2019. However, the authorities are now taking tougher measures such as revoking the business licenses of the cafes along the train street.