We were the first tour company ever to bring guests to Hanoi’s now famous ‘train street’. Back in 2012, we’d just encounter the locals who lived alongside the tracks, and of course the trains that rumbled through every once in a while.
Our little tour made such a splash that we ended up talking about it on Discovery and the Travel Channel, and some of our guests even had their pictures published in international media.
Now, of course, peak times find this special little corner of Hanoi crammed with foreign travelers, and most of the local homes have been converted into cafes and bars. In October 2019, the city government decided to close off that ‘train street’ to visitors.
As luck would have it, we were already developing a new Hanoi On the Tracks tour, in a different part of the city. Now you can experience the real local atmosphere of life along Hanoi’s railway, without all the tourist cafes and instagrammers. And yes, you’ll still get to shoot the train rolling between the houses! You’ll also explore markets, lakes, parks full of people exercising, and try some delicious street food while following the tracks.
Along the way, you’ll learn how to create a photographic story using different types of image and how to manipulate the settings on your camera depending on the kind of picture you want to take, the light, and how fast your subject (i.e. the train) is moving.
Learn the art of street photography while exploring 'train street'
On the Tracks Photography Tour is available daily:
Morning (4:30am – 9:30pm)
This Tour is a private Experience
What to Expect
On this photo tour you’ll experience and photograph daily life along Hanoi’s urban railway, including the rush and adrenaline of capturing the morning train flying through “train street”, a narrow residential alleyway. We’ll also explore a bustling early morning market, some colorful backstreets and the activities around the inner city residential lakes, all of which provide fantastic opportunities for portraiture and some very unique street photography.
Image Gallery
Reviews
Tour Information
Recommended Equipment
- DSLR Camera or Film Camera
- Memory Card
- Fully Charged Battery
- Wide angle or Zoom lens
What's included
- Hotel Pickup & Drop Off
- Professional Photographer Guide
What's not included
- Gratuities
- Food & Drinks
Tour Length
4hrs ( 5:30 – to 9:30 am)
Hotel pickups commence approximately 30 minutes prior to this time
Level of Difficulty
Moderate Physical activity (Walking)
Tour HIghlights
- Train Street (New Location)
- Experience the Morning Train
- Morning Market
- Residential Urban Area
- Morning Lakeside Activities
Photography Highlights
- Camera Settings
- Lens Options
- Street Photography
- Portraiture
- Documentary Photography
- Story Boarding
- Context and Relationships
- Low Light Photography
Photography teaching
On a photo tour with us, your experience, images and development as a photographer are the priority. Tips to improve your pictures will be provided by our professional photographer guides throughout the tour, and we’ll have regular reviews. While enjoying a rich variety of photographic opportunities on tour, you’ll gain valuable insights on how to get the best out of your images, and how to take your skills to the next level.
