Debt Instrument, Covenant, Interest Coverage Ratio, Minimum

No definition available.

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Leverage Ratio, Maximum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant Percent Of Principal Amount Outstanding Held By Trustee Or Holders, That May Deem Notes Due And Payable

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	chrw_DebtInstrumentCovenantPercentOfPrincipalAmountOutstandingHeldByTrusteeOrHoldersThatMayDeemNotesDueAndPayable
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Priority Debt, Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	chrw_DebtInstrumentCovenantPriorityDebtPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	chrw_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

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+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6036836-161870

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
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-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6031897-161870

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
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-Section S99
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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=chrw_SeniorUnsecuredRevolvingCreditFacility2019TermLoanMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=chrw_AmendedCreditAgreementDue2023Member
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_FederalFundsEffectiveSwapRateMember
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Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Period Type:

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS - Additional Information (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 17, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Apr. 09, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Aug. 27, 2013 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 1,346,352,000				$ 1,465,000,000
Line of Credit \| Credit Agreement due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity			$ 900,000,000
Line of Credit \| Amended Credit Agreement due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	$ 1,000,000,000
Maximum leverage ratio	3.00
Line of Credit \| Amended Credit Agreement due 2023 \| Federal Funds Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (percent)	0.50%
Line of Credit \| Amended Credit Agreement due 2023 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (percent)	1.13%
Line of Credit \| Amended Credit Agreement due 2023 \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commitment fee (percent)	0.075%
Line of Credit \| Amended Credit Agreement due 2023 \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commitment fee (percent)	0.20%
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt fair value	$ 484,700,000
Senior Notes \| Note Purchase Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum leverage ratio	3.00
Debt instrument principal amount						$ 500,000,000
Minimum interest coverage ratio	2.00
Maximum priority debt to total assets ratio (percent)	15.00%
Debt instrument, redemption price (percent)	100.00%
Secured Debt \| Receivables Securitization Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 249,744,000				250,000,000
Secured Debt \| Receivables Securitization Facility \| Wells Fargo Bank N.A. and Bank of America N.A.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 250,000,000
Unsecured Debt \| Senior Notes Due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt fair value	$ 587,200,000
Debt instrument, redemption price (percent)	101.00%
Debt instrument, annual interest rate (percent)				4.20%
Debt Instrument, effective yield (percent)				4.39%
Long-term debt	$ 591,608,000				$ 0
Threshold for holders of principal outstanding to declare principal and unpaid interest payable (percent)	25.00%