Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015 item
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of operating segments	1us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Number of reportable segments	1us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Senior Notes
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Fair value of debt instrument	239,408
8.25% Senior Notes due 2028
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Aggregate principal amount issued	110,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	8.25%
8.00% Senior Notes due 2029
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Aggregate principal amount issued	120,000
Interest rate (as a percent)	8.00%
Travel centers
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Area of property	25
Number of locations	251
Number of states in which the entity operates	43
Number of locations owned	39
Number of sites under leases or management	187
Number of properties operated under joint venture	2
Travel centers \| HPT
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of sites under leases	183
Travel centers \| Franchised sites
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of locations owned or leased	25
Travel centers \| Franchisee subleased sites \| HPT
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of locations	5
Gasoline stations/convenience stores
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of locations	60
Number of states in which the entity operates	6
Number of locations owned	51
Number of sites under leases	7
Number of properties operated under joint venture	2
Gasoline stations/convenience stores \| HPT
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of sites under leases	1
Travel Centers of America brand \| Travel centers
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of locations	175
Petro Stopping Center brand \| Travel centers
Basis of presentation, business description and organization
Number of locations	76

Represents the information pertaining to properties owned in minority interest and operated under joint venture.

No definition available.

Name:	ta_NumberOfPropertiesOperatedUnderJointVenture
Namespace Prefix:	ta_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned or leased from a third party as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ta_NumberOfRealEstatePropertiesOwnedOrLeasedFromThirdParty
Namespace Prefix:	ta_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of units (items of property) under operating lease and management arrangements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ta_PropertyUnderOperatingLeaseAndManagementNumberOfUnits
Namespace Prefix:	ta_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ta_SummaryOfSignificantAccountingPoliciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ta_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Area of a real estate property.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AreaOfRealEstateProperty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:areaItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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

- Definition

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

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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

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

- Definition

Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of real estate properties owned as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfRealEstateProperties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of states the entity operates in as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStatesInWhichEntityOperates
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of stores.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfStores
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of units (items of property) under operating lease arrangements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PropertySubjectToOrAvailableForOperatingLeaseNumberOfUnits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ta_BrandTypeAxis=ta_PetroStoppingCentersBrandMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ta_BrandTypeAxis=ta_TravelCentersOfAmericaBrandMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=ta_SeniorNotes8.00PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=ta_SeniorNotes8.25PercentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ta_ConvenienceStoreMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ta_TravelCentersMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: