Name:	cni_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssetsFutureYear
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Defined Benefit Plan, Change In Long-Term Rate Of Return Assumption

No definition available.

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Period of time over which realized and unrealized gains/losses and appreciation/depreciation in the value of the investments are recognized.

No definition available.

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The interest rate used to adjust for the time value of money.

No definition available.

Name:	cni_Definedbenefitplanassumptionsusedcalculatingnetperiodicbenefitcostinterestrate
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Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan.

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Weighted average rate increase of compensation, used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan.

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Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
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Weighted average rate of return on plan assets, reflecting average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (k)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118255775&loc=d3e2919-114920

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Weighted average rate of compensation increase used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssumptionsUsedInCalculatingBenefitObligationAbstract
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- References

No definition available.