Derivative Instruments - Effect of Derivative Instruments on Statements of Income (Detail) - Cash Flow Hedging - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2019	Nov. 30, 2018
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI on derivatives	$ 2,698	$ (3,196)
Gain (loss) reclassified accumulated OCI income	(408)	(632)
Gain (loss) recognized on derivative (amount excluded from effectiveness testing)	422	604
Foreign Exchange Forward \| Interest and Foreign Exchange
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in income on derivatives	71	380
Foreign Exchange Forward \| Sales
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI on derivatives	573	72
Gain (loss) reclassified accumulated OCI income	(166)	(256)
Gain (loss) recognized on derivative (amount excluded from effectiveness testing)	453	262
Foreign Exchange Forward \| Cost Of Revenue
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI on derivatives	(594)	(1,495)
Gain (loss) reclassified accumulated OCI income	(75)	(232)
Gain (loss) recognized on derivative (amount excluded from effectiveness testing)	134	389
Interest rate swap contracts \| Interest and Foreign Exchange
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI on derivatives	2,719	(1,773)
Gain (loss) reclassified accumulated OCI income	(167)	(144)
Gain (loss) recognized on derivative (amount excluded from effectiveness testing)	$ (165)	$ (47)

Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5618551-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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

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

- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624177-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOCIIntoIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments representing (a) the amount of the hedge ineffectiveness and (b) the amount, if any, excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1),(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109977999&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeIneffectivePortionAndAmountExcludedFromEffectivenessTestingNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of increase (decrease) in accumulated gain (loss) from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges and an entity's share of an equity investee's increase (decrease) in deferred hedging gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109978405&loc=d3e80720-113993

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=gbx_InterestAndForeignExchangeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_SalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=gbx_CostOfRevenueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: