At 8 p.m., traffic officers from Road Traffic Teams 1 and 2 (under the Hanoi Traffic Police Department), along with officials from the People's Committees and police of Dien Bien (Ba Dinh district), Cua Dong, and Hang Bong wards (Hoan Kiem district), launched a joint operation to address traffic safety violations in the Train Street café area.

At the time of the inspection, the stretch of Tran Phu Street known for its rail-side cafés was teeming with hundreds of foreign tourists and locals gathered close to the tracks, waiting for a train to pass.

Police officers instructed café owners to clear their setups and asked all guests to leave the area to ensure safety. As soon as authorities appeared, many business owners switched off their lights, asked customers to settle their bills, and ushered them out.

Officers were also seen assisting railway staff in closing safety barriers along the tracks.

A local café owner admitted that they operate in response to strong demand from foreign visitors eager to experience the thrill of sitting near a passing train.

Lieutenant Colonel Ta Xuan Hau, head of Road Traffic Team 1, said his unit works daily with ward-level police to station officers and patrol the area to manage safety and address violations.

In the coming weeks, traffic police will continue working with district-level law enforcement across areas intersected by rail lines, with particular attention on the Train Street café stretch from Phung Hung (Ba Dinh district) to Le Duan (Hoan Kiem district), to prevent accidents and ensure public safety.

The incident followed a viral video shared on June 13 that highlighted the dangers at Train Street. In the footage, several tourists are seen sitting directly within the rail corridor to capture the moment a train passes. As the train approached, the conductor sounded the horn three times in warning.

As the train neared, a male foreign tourist who had been engrossed in recording with his phone lost his balance and fell toward the oncoming train. Fortunately, other nearby visitors quickly pulled him back just in time. Several tables and drink glasses were knocked over in the process, startling the surrounding crowd.

Dinh Hieu