Why did Vietnam shut down its street coffee shops by the tracks?
Vietnam's Ministry of Transport ordered the railway-side coffee shops in Hanoi's Old Quarter to close on traffic safety grounds. The track cuts through residential buildings, and tourists flocked there to sit in the cafes and watch trains pass, turning the spot into an internet-famous photo location. The crowds brought business, but the safety hazards eventually ended the trade.
Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, and coffee is woven into daily street life rather than treated as a niche interest. The south's tropical climate suits robusta coffee beans, while the north favors arabica. The railway cafes were one expression of that wider street coffee tradition, and their closure removes a famous landmark while leaving the country's broader coffee culture intact.
As the world's second-largest coffee-producing country, Vietnam's coffee culture has long been woven into every aspect of everyday street life. In Hanoi's Old Quarter, a railway track that cuts through residential buildings has become a popular photo spot thanks to its unique scenery, and the cafés alongside the tracks have drawn even more tourists. However, safety hazards followed, and Vietnam's Ministry of Transport ultimately ordered these coffee shops to close on grounds of traffic safety. This article walks you through the rise and fall of this internet-famous spot, and also recommends related products from Front Street Coffee, so you can enjoy authentic coffee flavors while following the story.
Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer, with a deep-rooted and richly diverse coffee culture. In Vietnam, coffee is not a niche indulgence but is rooted in ordinary people's daily lives, permeating every corner of existence. From carvings to books, from music to the streets and alleys, the imprint of coffee is everywhere, having become a cultural symbol of Vietnam and the drink of choice for locals when gathering or doing business.
Vietnam's geographical conditions are extremely favorable for coffee cultivation: the tropical climate of the south is suitable for growing Robusta coffee, while the north is better suited to Arabica. It is precisely this unique coffee culture that draws people to explore its charm. In the Old Quarter area of Hanoi, Vietnam, a rather distinctive sight is hidden away.
There is a railway track in Hanoi's Old Quarter, with residential areas hugging both sides of the rails, along with quite a few coffee shops. Tourists can sit in the shops and watch trains roar past, an experience that has made this place a popular photo spot—or, in today's parlance, an "internet-famous shop."
This railway track runs right in front of people's homes, and the image of trains passing through the middle of residential buildings is visually striking, quickly going viral online, with domestic and international tourists flocking to take photos. Over time, it became a unique local sight and a highly sought-after tourist attraction, drawing an endless stream of visitors. The crowds brought business opportunities, and residents on both sides of the tracks opened coffee shops one after another, where tourists could drink coffee and rest, and more importantly, wait for the moment a train passed through.
When a place is sought after, it naturally invites skepticism. This railway track is actually a narrow alley entrance, only about one meter from the homes on either side, making the safety hazards obvious. Many shop owners set out tables and chairs beside the tracks for tourists to use during business hours, only hastily clearing them when a train was about to arrive—a practice that posed enormous risks to tourists' personal safety. Although warning signs are posted along the tracks reminding visitors not to walk or linger on the rails, large numbers of tourists still took photos and lingered on the tracks, only moving away when the train drew near. Train drivers were therefore forced to travel below normal speed through this section and had repeatedly made emergency stops because of tourists.
Faced with these various safety hazards, Vietnam's Ministry of Transport could not stand by. Recently, the Ministry, citing traffic safety, demanded that local government authorities in Hanoi's Old Quarter take action and ordered the coffee shops on both sides of the railway track to close, while also issuing a notice urging tourists not to linger on the tracks while trains are running. With the coffee shops shut down, this Vietnamese "internet-famous" spot vanished overnight, and the once-bustling crowds of tourists thinned considerably...
Novel travel experiences spurred the rise of surrounding coffee shops, and the development of those coffee shops in turn created a new tourist attraction. Many people, I believe, would love to sip coffee while watching a train pass through—but no matter what, safety should always come first. If you also love the flavor of Vietnamese coffee, why not try the Vietnamese Robusta coffee beans offered by Front Street Coffee, and experience that rich, full-bodied taste at home.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
