Five Hour layover at CDG--go into Paris or not?

IMO, this is not enough time. Even if your luggage is checked through, you'll need to allow up to one hour to clear immigration/passport control, one hour to get to Paris, and one hour to return to CDG. Then there is the time you'll need to allow to check in for your flight to Budapest.

You might have better luck visiting the medieval walled town of Senlis which is a 20-minute bus ride north of CDG, but even that visit would need to be very brief.

Susan, you do not have time to go into Paris, even if your plane from the US lands exactly on time, which is most unlikely. Of course, if you're willing to risk missing your flight to Budapest, that's a different story.

Hi Susan,
Keep in mind that you're probably going to be tired and a little disoriented from an overnight flight. I'd relax at the airport, have a nice lunch, and be refreshed and ready for your arrival in Budapest. Have a great trip!

Sorry but you really don't have enough time to actually go into Paris. It is indeed an hour in and and hour back and you need to allow time to clear customs upon arrival and an hour upon returning for security and physically getting to your departure gate. So, best case scenario you'd have two harried hours in Paris. All this presuming that your flight arrives on time (much laughter here), that your plane doesn't sit on the tarmac for 30 minutes waiting for a gate etc. As an idea, maybe ask the flight crew for a good local resturant near the airport that you can cab to.

Thank you for the relies. I think it would be risky to try to get into Paris. Guess we will just enjoy a good Croque Monsieur at CDG. I am interested in Senlis though but am uncertain about transportation.

This page has bus timetables for CDG-Senlis, but note that the year on the timetables is 2006. When you get to CDG, ask for updated timetables. If the bus doesn't run at the right times for you, take a taxi to Senlis and back to CDG.