Train “squeezes” into narrow alleys: A real sight in Hanoi, Vietnam

▲Vietnamese train “squeezes” through alleys less than a meter wide — an incredibly dramatic scene. (Photo / Screenshot from UK's Daily Mail)

Reporter Chen Ziying / Comprehensive report

The train runs through the city’s extremely narrow alleys, coming within just a few dozen centimeters of shops. These breathtaking photos were taken by Indian photographer Ashit Desai during his trip to Hanoi, Vietnam. In the images, the train not only passes through streets, alleys, and market stalls, but even goes right by the back doors of residential homes. When the train approaches, people roll up their sunshades and fold up their lounge chairs to “make way” for its passage.

It is understood that this area consists of old streets in central Hanoi. Due to the narrow and crowded alleys, the back-to-back houses — spaced just a few meters apart — have to accommodate passing trains, making for a truly heart-stopping sight. Along the railway tracks, residents, markets, and shops continue their daily routines. Elderly women can be seen holding babies while cooling off beside the tracks, and some vendors even set up stalls directly on the rails. But the locals seem accustomed to this way of life. When the train nears, they move their tables, chairs, and stalls aside to let the train “squeeze through,” as if it’s all just a normal part of everyday life.


▲A resident holds a baby while cooling off beside the railway track. (Photo / Screenshot from UK's Daily Mail)

 

▲Some people even place tables and chairs directly on the tracks, with fruit vendors nearby. (Photo / Screenshot from UK's Daily Mail)

▲Such scenes are completely ordinary to the local residents. (Photo / Screenshot from UK's Daily Mail)