INVESTMENT PROPERTIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Reconciliation of changes in investment property [abstract]
Balance at beginning of the year	$ 154	$ 153
Additions, net of disposals	0	3
Non-cash additions	0	10
Fair value adjustments	23	12
Foreign currency translation	15	(24)
Balance at December 31	192	154
Investment property completed [member] \| U.K. port operation
Reconciliation of changes in investment property [abstract]
Fair value adjustments	$ 23	$ 12
Investment property completed [member] \| Transport \| Bottom of range \| Direct Income Capitalization
Reconciliation of changes in investment property [abstract]
Capitalization rate	6.00%
Investment property completed [member] \| Transport \| Top of range \| Direct Income Capitalization
Reconciliation of changes in investment property [abstract]
Capitalization rate	14.00%

Capitalization Rate, Significant Unobservable Inputs, Assets

No definition available.

Name:	bip_CapitalizationRateSignificantUnobservableInputsAssets
Namespace Prefix:	bip_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Investment properties non cash additions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bip_Investmentpropertiesnoncashadditions
Namespace Prefix:	bip_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of additions to investment property resulting from subsequent expenditure recognised as an asset. [Refer: Investment property]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 79
-Subparagraph d
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79_d_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AdditionsFromSubsequentExpenditureRecognisedAsAssetInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The gains (losses) from changes in the fair value of investment property. [Refer: Investment property]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_GainsLossesOnFairValueAdjustmentInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in investment property resulting from net exchange differences arising on the translation of the financial statements from the functional currency into a different presentation currency, including the translation of a foreign operation into the presentation currency of the reporting entity. [Refer: Investment property]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76_e&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 79
-Subparagraph d
-Clause vi
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79_d_vi&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncreaseDecreaseThroughNetExchangeDifferencesInvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expiry date 2019-01-01: The amount of property (land or a building - or part of a building - or both) held (by the owner or by the lessee under a finance lease) to earn rentals or for capital appreciation or both, rather than for: (a) use in the production or supply of goods or services or for administrative purposes; or (b) sale in the ordinary course of business. Effective 2019-01-01: The amount of property (land or a building - or part of a building - or both) held (by the owner or by the lessee as a right-of-use asset) to earn rentals or for capital appreciation or both, rather than for: (a) use in the production or supply of goods or services or for administrative purposes; or (b) sale in the ordinary course of business.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 76
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_76&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 40
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 79
-Subparagraph d
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=40&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_79_d&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2017-01-01
-Paragraph 54
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_54_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2017-03-09

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_InvestmentProperty
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ReconciliationOfChangesInInvestmentPropertyAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfInvestmentPropertyAxis=ifrs-full_InvestmentPropertyCompletedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_SignificantInvestmentsInSubsidiariesAxis=bip_U.K.PortOperationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_SegmentsAxis=bip_TransportMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_RangeAxis=ifrs-full_BottomOfRangeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ValuationTechniquesUsedInFairValueMeasurementAxis=bip_DirectIncomeCapitalizationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_RangeAxis=ifrs-full_TopOfRangeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: