There is no airport in Lao Cai and the nearest airport is in Hanoi. Lao Cai can be reached from Hanoi by bus, train, or car.
There is no bus service from Hanoi to Lao Cai. There are a few buses from Lao Cai to Hanoi but they are usually full. You can try to get on a bus from Lao Cai to Hanoi at the bus station in Lao Cai.
There is no direct way to reach Lao Cai by waterways. However, one can reach Lao Cai by taking a boat from Hanoi to Haiphong and then taking a bus from Haiphong to Lao Cai.
There is no public transport in Lao Cai. However, there are a few taxis and motorbike taxis available.