We ended up getting off one stop early from the train ride from Vienna. But it let us have a nice 25-minute walk along the lake. We could see the village of Hallstatt from across the lake.

We were staying in a village called Obertraun, at one end of the lake a just a short bike, boat, bus or taxi ride away from Hallstatt.

Obertraun is not nearly as crowded and full of tourists. After getting settled in our apartment, we had a snack lunch at a local store/cafe. The owners were a wonderful, older couple that told us about the history of the village, the climate and how close we really were to say a Salzberg (80 kilometers away). The store was in the building that was built by her great grandfather when the train was extended to Obertraun (the last stop).

More Info On Obertraun:

Originally a part of the Duchy of Bavaria, the town became part of the Duchy of Austria during the 12th century. It was occupied several times during the Napoleonic Wars. Since 1918 it is part of Upper Austria and since 1921 an autonomous town (before that, it was part of Hallstatt)