Hi whariwharangi, thanks for your info. Getting home from either Santiago or having a return flight from Biarritz is something I try to wrap my head around for it to make sense in terms of time and money, any suggestions? Thankful for any advice anyone might have.
NorwegianWalker
Santiago has aena operated airport at Labacolla SCQ. The aena website has a list of destinations and the airlines that serve them. Note that some airlines only fly there in summer ... so the list changes. There are regular flights to Madrid Barcelona and London. There are flights in summer to Paris.
Renfe train goes from Santiago to Madrid, Barcelona, and the border crossing at Irun/Hendaye.
SNCF train goes from Hendaye to Biarritz and Paris. Transports64 bus goes from Gare d'Hendaye to Biarritz Airport.
SNCF train goes from Barcelona to Paris. Santiago - Barcelona - Paris by train takes the same amount of travel time as the route via Irun.
I went YVR to London Heathrow then bus to Stansted, London Stansted to Biarritz. UK Customs, airport security, and bus trip are time consuming and, except for the bus, a major poorly planned nuisance. London is very well connected by discount airlines to all points Europe. My intention was to wander around before returning home. I flew back via Madrid to Gatwick. I could have gone to London from Santiago