Foreign traveller injured while posing for selfie on Train Street

The incident occurred at 12:00 p.m. on September 18 at a rail crossing of Tran Phu and Ly Nam De streets.

Police say that despite numerous warnings given by the train conductor, who sounded the train’s sirens when passing through the area, the foreign tourist still tried to pass through a barrier put up to block people in order to pose for a selfie.

Due to this carelessness, the tourist collided with the passenger train on the Lao Cai-Hanoi route as it travelled from Long Bien bridge to its parking place at Hanoi Railway Station.

The foreigner suffered a light injury after being thrown against a nearby wall, and then stood up and left the scene.

The passenger train was then forced to stop to handle the incident, causing surrounding streets to become severely congested.

Under a decision made recently by the local administration, barriers have been erected at the entrance to Train Track Café mushrooming along a narrow street dubbed Train Street in order to prevent tourists from visiting coffee shops for safety reasons.

According to local authorities, there are 30 business households situated along the tracks that violate railway safety regulations and pose accident risks.

The Hanoi Train Street has railway tracks running along Dien Bien Phu and Phung Hung streets in the heart of the Old Quarter, with residential buildings being barely feet away on either side.

The highly unusual sight fascinates both domestic and foreign tourists.

Since the country reopened its borders in March, the street has again started to draw tourists, with cafes capitalising on this to set up tables and chairs along the tracks for tourists to take selfies.