An Irish visitor, Andrew McMahon, shared a video showing café tables and chairs being swept away by a passing train on Hanoi’s Train Street, frightening dozens of tourists.
A train hits tables at a café on Hanoi’s Train Street on October 2. Video from: Passport Partners
McMahon told Dantri/Dtinews that he and his girlfriend were visiting the famous street on the evening of October 2 when the incident occurred. They were sitting at a small café near the tracks when the sound of the approaching train prompted staff to hurriedly clear tables.
“As the train passed, furniture from the neighbouring café was struck, food scattered everywhere, and some guests screamed,” McMahon recalled. “One table hit my leg, and my girlfriend was splashed with tomato sauce and cigarette ash.”
The 24-year-old traveller said he accidentally recorded the scene while filming the train. Some visitors immediately left in panic, while he stayed behind to help the café owner clean up before returning to his hotel.
His video quickly drew thousands of reactions online, with many commenters criticising the risky proximity between cafés and the railway.
McMahon said he and his girlfriend had heard of the famous Train Street before visiting Vietnam and decided to experience it for themselves. “It’s one of those must-see spots for tourists. Watching the train pass so close was thrilling,” he said.
He added that the incident was likely caused by a neighbouring café placing furniture too close to the tracks.
During their two-week stay in Vietnam, the couple visited Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Hoi An, Hanoi, and Sapa, and particularly enjoyed Vietnamese banh mi and local hospitality.
McMahon and his girlfriend pose for a photo on the Golden Bridge in Danang City.
“We had to leave Vietnam earlier than planned because of a major storm,” McMahon said. “We’ll definitely return, but next time we’ll be more cautious if we visit Train Street again.”
A representative from Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam Ward Police confirmed that they were verifying whether the incident occurred within their jurisdiction.
This is not the first safety scare at Hanoi’s Train Street. In June 2025, a foreign tourist nearly fell onto the tracks while filming, narrowly escaping harm thanks to nearby visitors.
Stretching about 2 kilometres, Hanoi’s Train Street remains one of the capital’s most popular attractions, particularly at weekends. Despite a March 2025 directive from the Hanoi Department of Tourism prohibiting tour operators from bringing visitors to the site, many tourists still come independently to experience the unusual setting.
