Vietnam Railways Corporation crafted the coffee shop, which also serves as a waiting room from an old station-adjacent apartment.

A fence and security guards protect café goers from the moving trains, which are only feet away as you sip coffee.

The café’s white arched windows carry a distinct French feel which customers can peer out of onto the tracks.

Attendants at the café’s counter can also provide travelers with train schedules and information.

“I was surprised with the coffee shop’s design and we can see passing trains. It’s really interesting,” said a customer named Tran Van Son.

From the café, visitors can use smartphones to capture images of the passing trains.

Built in 1902, Long Bien serves destinations to the north and east of Hanoi including Hai Phong and Dong Dang.

The shop also sells souvenirs for train passengers.

The Vietnam Railways Corporation hoped the coffee shop would be a new destination to replace the now-closed Train Street in the heart of the Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Hanoi Train Street, famous for its makeshift coffee shops along the train track, runs for around two kilometers from Le Duan through Tran Phu, Cua Dong and Phung Hung streets, but it was blocked off last September due to safety concerns.

The cafe is seen from Tran Nhat Duat street.

A representative of the Vietnam Railways Corporation said that the project is part of Hanoi’s effort to diversify travel experiences and improve service quality.

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