XML 12 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName FIDELITY SALEM STREET TRUST
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Nov. 29, 2012
Retail | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund Summary

Fund/Class:
Fidelity® Strategic Real Return Fund/Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The fund seeks real return consistent with reasonable investment risk.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fee Table
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock The following table describes the fees and expenses that may be incurred when you buy, hold, or sell shares of the fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption Shareholder fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual class operating expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination at least one year from the effective date of the prospectus
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 15.00%
Expenses Not Correlated to Ratio Due to Acquired Fund Fees [Text] rr_ExpensesNotCorrelatedToRatioDueToAcquiredFundFees Differs from the ratios of expenses to average net assets in the Financial Highlights section of the prospectus because of acquired fund fees and expenses.
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This example helps compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.

Let's say, hypothetically, that the annual return for shares of the fund is 5% and that your shareholder fees and the annual operating expenses for shares of the fund are exactly as described in the fee table. This example illustrates the effect of fees and expenses, but is not meant to suggest actual or expected fees and expenses or returns, all of which may vary. For every $10,000 you invested, here's how much you would pay in total expenses if you sell all of your shares at the end of each time period indicated:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock
  • Allocating the fund's assets among four general investment categories: inflation-protected debt securities, floating rate loans, commodity-linked notes and related investments, and real estate investment trusts (REITs) and other real estate related investments.
  • Using a neutral mix of approximately 30% inflation-protected debt securities, 25% floating rate loans, 25% commodity-linked notes and related investments, and 20% REITs and other real estate related investments.
  • Investing in domestic and foreign issuers.
  • Analyzing a security's structural features and current pricing, its issuer's potential for success, and the credit, currency, and economic risks of the security and its issuer to select investments.
  • Using fundamental analysis of factors such as each issuer's financial condition and industry position, as well as market and economic conditions, to select investments.
  • Investing in Fidelity's central funds (specialized investment vehicles used by Fidelity funds to invest in particular security types or investment disciplines).
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Investment Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock
  • Stock Market Volatility. Stock markets are volatile and can decline significantly in response to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. Different parts of the market can react differently to these developments.
  • Floating Rate Loan Trading. A floating rate loan may not be fully collateralized which may cause the floating rate loan to decline significantly in value. Floating rate loans generally are subject to restrictions on resale. Floating rate loans sometimes trade infrequently in the secondary market. As a result, valuing a floating rate loan can be more difficult, and buying and selling a floating rate loan at an acceptable price can be more difficult or delayed. Difficulty in selling a floating rate loan can result in a loss.
  • Interest Rate Changes. Interest rate increases can cause the price of a debt security to decrease.
  • Foreign Exposure. Foreign markets can be more volatile than the U.S. market due to increased risks of adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments and can perform differently from the U.S. market.
  • Real Estate Industry Exposure. Changes in real estate values or economic downturns can have a significant negative effect on issuers in the real estate industry.
  • Prepayment. The ability of an issuer of a debt security to repay principal prior to a security's maturity can cause greater price volatility if interest rates change.
  • Issuer-Specific Changes. The value of an individual security or particular type of security can be more volatile than, and can perform differently from, the market as a whole. A decline in the credit quality of an issuer or a provider of credit support or a maturity-shortening structure for a security can cause the price of a security to decrease. Lower-quality debt securities (those of less than investment-grade quality, also referred to as high yield debt securities) and certain types of other securities involve greater risk of default or price changes due to changes in the credit quality of the issuer. The value of lower-quality debt securities and certain types of other securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments and can be difficult to resell.
  • Leverage Risk. Leverage can increase market exposure, magnify investment risks, and cause losses to be realized more quickly.
  • Inflation-Protected Debt Exposure. Increases in real interest rates can cause the price of inflation-protected debt securities to decrease. Interest payments on inflation-protected debt securities can be unpredictable.
  • Commodity-Linked Investing. Commodity-linked investments may be more volatile and less liquid than the underlying commodity, instruments, or measures and their value may be affected by the performance of the overall commodities markets as well as weather, political, tax, and other regulatory and market developments.
An investment in the fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Unlike individual debt securities, which typically pay principal at maturity, the value of an investment in the fund will fluctuate. You could lose money by investing in the fund.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney You could lose money by investing in the fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the fund. The information illustrates the changes in the performance of the fund's shares from year to year and compares the performance of the fund's shares to the performance of a securities market index and a hypothetical composite of market indexes over various periods of time. The indexes have characteristics relevant to the fund's investment strategies. Index descriptions appear in the Additional Information about the Indexes section of the prospectus. Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.

Visit www.fidelity.com for updated return information.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The information illustrates the changes in the performance of the fund's shares from year to year and compares the performance of the fund's shares to the performance of a securities market index and a hypothetical composite of market indexes over various periods of time.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress www.fidelity.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture Past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Year-by-Year Returns
Calendar Years
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
During the periods shown in the chart:
Returns
Quarter ended
Highest Quarter Return
13.00%
June 30, 2009
Lowest Quarter Return
-20.14%
December 31, 2008
Year-to-Date Return
8.71%
September 30, 2012
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Returns
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates, but do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred The after-tax returns shown are not relevant if you hold your shares in a retirement account or in another tax-deferred arrangement.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss upon the sale of fund shares.
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates, but do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns may differ depending on your individual circumstances. The after-tax returns shown are not relevant if you hold your shares in a retirement account or in another tax-deferred arrangement. Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other returns for the same period due to a tax benefit of realizing a capital loss upon the sale of fund shares.

For the periods ended
December 31, 2011
Retail | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund | Class: Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Redemption fee on shares held less than 60 days (as a % of amount redeemed) rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption 0.75%
Management fee rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.57% [1]
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.18%
Acquired fund fees and expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01%
Total annual operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.76% [2]
Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.01% [1]
Total annual operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.75% [2]
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 77
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 240
5 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 417
10 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 930
2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 4.89%
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 3.76%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (23.35%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 28.41%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 13.94%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 1.68%
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel Year-to-Date Return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Sep. 30, 2012
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 8.71%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Highest Quarter Return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 13.00%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Lowest Quarter Return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (20.14%)
Retail | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund | Return Before Taxes | Class: Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Column rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.68%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.42%
Life of class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.69% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 07, 2005
Retail | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class: Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Column rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.35%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.11%
Life of class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.50% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 07, 2005
Retail | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class: Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Column rr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnName Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.72%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.34%
Life of class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.65% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 07, 2005
Retail | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund | Barclays U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) Index (Series-L) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Barclays® U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) Index (Series-L)
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 13.56%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.95%
Life of class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.37% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 07, 2005
Retail | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Fund | Fidelity Strategic Real Return Composite Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Fidelity Strategic Real Return Composite IndexSM
Past 1 year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.75%
Past 5 years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 4.12%
Life of class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.05% [4]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Sep. 30, 2005
[1] The fund may invest in Fidelity Commodity Strategy Central Fund, which in turn invests in a wholly-owned subsidiary that invests in commodity-linked derivative instruments. Fidelity Management & Research Company (FMR) has contractually agreed to waive the fund's management fee in an amount equal to its proportionate share of the management fee paid to FMR by the subsidiary based on the fund's proportionate ownership of the central fund. This arrangement will remain in effect for at least one year from the effective date of the prospectus, and will remain in effect thereafter as long as FMR's contract with the subsidiary is in place. If FMR's contract with the subsidiary is terminated, FMR, in its sole discretion, may discontinue the arrangement.
[2] Differs from the ratios of expenses to average net assets in the Financial Highlights section of the prospectus because of acquired fund fees and expenses.
[3] From September 7, 2005.
[4] From September 30, 2005 (first date following the fund's commencement for which the life of class return for all of the components of the composite index is available).