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Stock Plans - Options Range of exercise prices (Details) (CAD)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
years
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Entity's closing stock price at end of period 80.02cni_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardMarketPriceOfStockAtPeriodEnd
Options Outstanding [Abstract]  
Number of options outstanding 7.5us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions [1]
Weighted-average years to expiration of options outstanding 5 years 7 months
Weighted average exercise price of options outstanding 37.37us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1 [1]
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding 322us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue [1]
Options Exercisable [Abstract]  
Number of exercisable options 5.0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions [1]
Weighted average exercise price of exercisable options 30.31us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1 [1]
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options 250us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1 [1]
Weighted-average years to expiration of exercisable options (years) 4.4cni_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsInMoneyExercisableWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm
Share Based Compensation Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans Exercise Price Range 1 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Minimum price of options outstanding, end of the period 16.93us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Maximum price of options outstanding, end of the period 23.03us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Options Outstanding [Abstract]  
Number of options outstanding 0.9us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Weighted-average years to expiration of options outstanding 3 years 8 months
Weighted average exercise price of options outstanding 20.19us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding 52us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Options Exercisable [Abstract]  
Number of exercisable options 0.9us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Weighted average exercise price of exercisable options 20.19us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options 52us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange1Member
Share Based Compensation Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans Exercise Price Range 2 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Minimum price of options outstanding, end of the period 23.04us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Maximum price of options outstanding, end of the period 30.75us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Options Outstanding [Abstract]  
Number of options outstanding 2.6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Weighted-average years to expiration of options outstanding 3 years 4 months
Weighted average exercise price of options outstanding 27.04us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding 139us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Options Exercisable [Abstract]  
Number of exercisable options 2.6us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Weighted average exercise price of exercisable options 27.04us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options 139us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange2Member
Share Based Compensation Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans Exercise Price Range 3 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Minimum price of options outstanding, end of the period 30.76us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Maximum price of options outstanding, end of the period 41.85us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Options Outstanding [Abstract]  
Number of options outstanding 1.5us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Weighted-average years to expiration of options outstanding 6 years 4 months
Weighted average exercise price of options outstanding 38.19us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding 62us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Options Exercisable [Abstract]  
Number of exercisable options 1.0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Weighted average exercise price of exercisable options 38.19us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options 41us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange3Member
Share Based Compensation Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans Exercise Price Range 4 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Minimum price of options outstanding, end of the period 41.86us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Maximum price of options outstanding, end of the period 57.61us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Options Outstanding [Abstract]  
Number of options outstanding 1.5us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Weighted-average years to expiration of options outstanding 7 years 7 months
Weighted average exercise price of options outstanding 48.71us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding 49us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Options Exercisable [Abstract]  
Number of exercisable options 0.5us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Weighted average exercise price of exercisable options 47.40us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options 18us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange4Member
Share Based Compensation Shares Authorized Under Stock Option Plans Exercise Price Range 5 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Minimum price of options outstanding, end of the period 57.62us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
Maximum price of options outstanding, end of the period 80.15us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
Options Outstanding [Abstract]  
Number of options outstanding 1.0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
Weighted-average years to expiration of options outstanding 9 years 1 month
Weighted average exercise price of options outstanding 60.29us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of options outstanding 20us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
Options Exercisable [Abstract]  
Number of exercisable options 0us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
Weighted average exercise price of exercisable options 58.18us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
Aggregate intrinsic value of exercisable options 0us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= cni_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRange5Member
[1] Stock options with a US dollar exercise price have been translated to Canadian dollars using the foreign exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date. As at December 31, 2014, substantially all stock options outstanding were in-the-money. The weighted-average years to expiration of exercisable stock options was 4.4 years.