Pakbeng is connected by a sealed road with Oudomxay province along the Nam Beng River.
Pakbeng had its main road paved in 2005 and also just completed a hydroelectric station downriver thanks to a World Bank loan.
During the Laotian Civil War, Pakbeng was the southern terminus of the freshly constructed Route 46 from Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China.
The town is the overnight stop for boats running between Luang Prabang and Huay Xai.
The slow boats which run between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang over a period of two days spend the night moored in Pakbeng.