The old town of Wernigerode is almost entirely pedestrianised and can be walked comfortably in a morning. The castle is reached by foot through the forest or by car on a road from the south. The Brocken railway departs from Wernigerode Hauptbahnhof, which is about 600 metres north of the Marktplatz.
For exploring the wider Harz — the national park, Quedlinburg, Goslar, or the Brocken summit on foot — a car or the narrow-gauge railway network is needed. The Harzer Schmalspurbahnen network connects Wernigerode with Nordhausen via Drei Annen Hohne and Eisfelder Talmühle, covering much of the southern Harz. Day rover tickets on the narrow-gauge lines are good value.