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.

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with other payments to acquire businesses including deposit on pending acquisitions and preacquisition costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of business during the period. The cash portion only of the acquisition price.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis=chrw_APCLogisticsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

ACQUISITIONS - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Payments related to working capital adjustment		$ 1,800	$ 1,780	$ 0
APC Logistics
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total purchase price	$ 229,400