The whole park is reachable without a car, if you plan the trains right.
Zernez sits on the Rhaetian Railway line, which makes the park more accessible by public transport than its remote feel suggests — most visitors still drive, since it makes reaching individual trailheads along the Ofen Pass road far simpler, but it isn't required.
Getting to Zernez
By train, Zernez is reached via the Rhaetian Railway, typically changing at Samedan or Scuol-Tarasp depending on your starting point. By road, it sits on the main valley route between St. Moritz and Scuol, with the Ofen Pass road branching east from the village toward Italy and the park's eastern trailheads.
Choosing a base
Zernez suits a multi-trail, multi-day visit thanks to its position at the Ofen Pass junction. Scuol, further down the valley, offers more accommodation choice and its own thermal baths for a rest day. Guarda and Ardez are lovely for an overnight but put you further from the park's eastern trailheads.
What to actually pack
Sturdy hiking boots and layers — Engadine weather shifts fast even in summer, and the high-alpine sections of the Il Fuorn trail can be genuinely cold even when Zernez is warm. Bring all your own food and water; there are no shops or huts along the trails except Chamanna Cluozza, and no bins, so plan to carry out everything you carry in.
Booking Chamanna Cluozza
If an overnight at the park's one hut is part of your plan, book it well ahead — it's small, popular in peak summer, and there's no camping fallback if it's full.