Hanoi shut down its Instagram-famous 'train street' cafes because they were overrun with selfie-taking tourists. Here's how it go to this point.

The visual contrast of the single train track to homes and cafes has made Hanoi's “train street” a tourist hotspot.

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Tourists have been taking photos of themselves standing or sitting on the train tracks.

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They also line up dangerously on the side of the tracks, waiting to snag a photo of the passing trains.

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Residential homes, vendors, and cafes line the side of the streets.

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Some of the houses are about five to 16 feet away from the tracks.

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Several cafes have set up tables and chairs alongside the railroad tracks.

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There was even a cafe along the tracks named after the attraction: “Hanoi Rail Track Café.”

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The cafe claims to have, “a great location, an impeccable space, (and serve) quality coffee,” according to its Facebook page.

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Shops in the area started capitalizing on its tourist-riddled location.

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Along with the cafe closure demands, authorities have put up barriers to block the walking paths.

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Signs along the tracks now tell tourists and locals to not linger in the area, gather a crowd, take photos or videos, or have chairs and tables out along the railroad tracks, Reuters reported.

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Source: Reuters

The railway was built in 1902 when Vietnam was still controlled by French colonial rulers, according to Tempo.

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Source: Tempo

It was once known as a “rough part of town" until the area started gaining social media fame, according to the Guardian.

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Source: The Guardian

The trains carry passengers and cargo between Hanoi, Haiphong and secluded and mountainous towns such as Lang Son and Lao Cai.

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“There have never been any regretful accidents here,” local cafe owner Le Tuan Anh told The Guardian. He runs his shop from his home next to the tracks.

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Source: The Guardian