Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	RS INVESTMENT TRUST
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 01, 2013
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	RS China Fund (formerly “RS Greater China Fund”)
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	Long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The tables below describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts for the purchase of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in RS Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the “Types of Shares Available — Class A Shares” section on page 110 of the Fund’s prospectus and the “Waivers of Certain Sales Loads” section on page 37 of the Fund’s statement of additional information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses are deducted from Fund assets as a percentage of average daily net assets)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination	April 30, 2014
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 for you if your Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	23.00%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts	You may qualify for sales charge discounts for the purchase of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in RS Funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]	rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount	50,000
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. This Example also assumes that your investment earns a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same as shown above. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption	Assuming Redemption at End of  Period
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption	Assuming No Redemption
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Investments, Risks, and Performance Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund normally invests at least 80% of the value of its net assets in common stocks, preferred stocks, and other securities convertible into common or preferred stock of Chinese companies. The Fund currently defines a “Chinese company” as (i) a company that has securities that are traded primarily on any stock exchange in China or Hong Kong; (ii) a company that the Fund’s investment team considers to derive 50% or more of its revenues or profits from goods produced, services performed, or sales made in China or Hong Kong; (iii) a company that is organized under the laws of, or has its principal office in, China or Hong Kong; or (iv) a company that the Fund’s investment team determines has a majority of its physical assets located in China or Hong Kong. Because the Fund focuses its investments in Chinese companies, the values of its shares will be more greatly affected by economic, financial, political, and other factors affecting China or Hong Kong than mutual funds that invest more broadly. The Fund may invest in companies of any size. The Fund’s investment team employs both fundamental analysis and quantitative screening in seeking to identify companies that the investment team believes can sustain above-average earnings growth. Valuation is an integral part of the process. Fundamental, bottom-up research focuses on companies that rank highly within the investment team’s quantitative screen, with particular emphasis placed on a company’s earnings growth, business strategy, value creation, competitive position, management quality, market position, and political and economic backdrop. The investment team monitors market and sovereign risk as part of the overall investment process. The Fund will not typically seek to hedge its foreign currency exposure (arising from investments denominated in foreign currencies) relative to the U.S. dollar, although the Fund may engage in foreign currency exchange contracts to take advantage of changes in currency exchange rates anticipated by the Fund’s investment team. The Fund also may invest in foreign issuers through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), or similar investment vehicles.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	You may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its net asset value and total return, are as follows. Equity Securities Risk The value of a company’s stock may decline in response to factors affecting that particular company or stock markets generally. Foreign Securities Risk Foreign securities are subject to political, regulatory, and economic risks not present in domestic investments. In addition, when the Fund buys securities denominated in a foreign currency, there are special risks such as changes in currency exchange rates and the risk that a foreign government could regulate foreign exchange transactions. In addition, to the extent that investments are made in a limited number of countries, events in those countries will have a more significant impact on the Fund. China Risk Investments in the China region are subject to special risks, such as less developed or less efficient trading markets, currency fluctuations or blockage, nationalization of assets, limits on repatriation, and the effects of governmental control of markets. The Chinese economy and financial markets have experienced high levels of growth in recent years; any actual or perceived reduction or curtailment in those levels of growth in the future would likely have a substantial adverse impact on the values of Chinese companies. Investments in securities of Chinese companies are subject to China’s heavy dependence on exports. A small number of companies and industries represent a relatively large portion of the Chinese market as a whole. Monsoons and other natural disasters may cause substantial adverse economic effects. Currency Risk Investments in foreign securities are often denominated and traded in foreign currencies. The value of the Fund’s assets may be affected favorably or unfavorably by currency exchange rates, currency exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of foreign currencies. To attempt to protect against changes in currency exchange rates, the Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in forward foreign-currency exchange transactions. The use of foreign exchange transactions to reduce foreign-currency exposure can eliminate some or all of the benefit of an increase in the value of a foreign currency versus the U.S. dollar. Emerging Market Risk Risks of investing in emerging markets include greater political and economic instability, greater volatility in currency exchange rates, less developed securities markets, possible trade barriers, currency transfer restrictions, a more limited number of potential buyers, an emerging market country’s dependence on revenue from particular commodities or international aid, less governmental supervision and regulation, unavailability of currency hedging techniques, differences in auditing and financial reporting standards, and less developed legal systems. Focused Investment Risk Focusing investments in a particular market or economic sector (which may include issuers in a number of different industries) increases the risk of loss because the stocks of many or all of the companies in the market or sector may decline in value due to developments adversely affecting the market or sector. In addition, investors may buy or sell substantial amounts of the Fund’s shares in response to factors affecting or expected to affect the particular market or sector, resulting in extreme inflows and outflows of cash into and out of the Fund. Such inflows or outflows might affect management of the Fund adversely to the extent they were to cause the Fund’s cash position or cash requirements to exceed normal levels. Small Companies Risk Small companies may be subject to a number of risks not associated with larger, more established companies, potentially making their stock prices more volatile and increasing the risk of loss. Investment Style Risk A mutual fund investing principally in growth style stocks may at times underperform other mutual funds that invest more broadly or that have different investment styles. Liquidity Risk Lack of a ready market or restrictions on resale may limit the ability of the Fund to sell a security at an advantageous time or price. In addition, the Fund, by itself or together with other accounts managed by RS Investments, may hold a position in a security that is large relative to the typical trading volume for that security, which can make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of the position at an advantageous time or price. Cash Position Risk To the extent that the Fund holds assets in cash and cash equivalents and not in the investments previously described, the ability of the Fund to meet its objective may be limited. Portfolio Turnover Risk Frequent purchases and sales of portfolio securities may result in higher Fund expenses and may result in more significant distributions of short-term capital gains to investors, which are taxed as ordinary income. Overweighting Risk Overweighting investments in an industry or group of industries relative to the Fund’s benchmark increases the risk that the Fund will underperform its benchmark because a general decline in the prices of stocks in that industry or group of industries will affect the Fund to a greater extent than its benchmark. Underweighting Risk If the Fund underweights its investment in an industry or group of industries relative to the Fund’s benchmark, the Fund will participate in any general increase in the value of companies in that industry or group of industries to a lesser extent than the Fund’s benchmark.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	You may lose money by investing in the Fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Fund Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s returns with those of a broad measure of market performance. The return in the bar chart does not reflect the impact of sales loads. If it did, the return would be lower than that shown. The Fund’s investment strategy and investment team changed on March 1, 2013. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance. Updated performance information for the Fund is available at www.rsinvestments.com or by calling 800-766-3863.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s returns with those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-766-3863
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.rsinvestments.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not an indication of future performance.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Return for Class A Shares (calendar year-end)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	The return in the bar chart does not reflect the impact of sales loads. If it did, the return would be lower than that shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter  First Quarter 2012  16.51% Worst Quarter  Second Quarter 2012  -5.49%
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/12)
Performance Table Market Index Changed	rr_PerformanceTableMarketIndexChanged	Effective May 1, 2013, the Fund changed its benchmark from the MSCI Golden Dragon Index to the MSCI China Index because the Investment Adviser believes the MSCI China Index is a more appropriate comparative, broad-based market index for the Fund.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other classes will vary.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only; after-tax returns for other classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	4.75%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	1.10%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.71%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	2.06%	[2]
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.31%)	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	1.75%	[2]
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block]	rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock	Contingent deferred sales load of 1.00% applies to purchases of $1 million or more of Class A shares if these shares are sold within 18 months of purchase.
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	644
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	1,062
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,504
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,728
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	644
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	1,062
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,504
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	2,728
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	21.65%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2012
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	16.51%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2012
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(5.49%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	15.94%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(7.75%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 16, 2011
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund | Class C
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	1.00%	[3]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	1.10%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	1.00%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.47%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	2.57%	[2]
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.31%)	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	2.26%	[2]
Expenses Deferred Charges [Text Block]	rr_ExpensesDeferredChargesTextBlock	Contingent deferred sales load applies for shares sold within one year of purchase.
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	329
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	770
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,338
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,882
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	229
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	770
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,338
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	2,882
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	20.12%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(5.73%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 16, 2011
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund | Class K
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of offering price)	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of the lower of sale proceeds or the original offering price)	rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	1.10%
Distribution (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.65%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.60%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	2.35%	[2]
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement	rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets	(0.31%)	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement	rr_NetExpensesOverAssets	2.04%	[2]
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	207
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	704
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	1,227
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	2,662
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	207
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	704
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	1,227
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	2,662
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	21.33%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(5.36%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 16, 2011
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	15.60%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(8.07%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 16, 2011
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	10.36%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(6.75%)
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 16, 2011
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund | MSCI China Index (Gross) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	23.10%	[4]
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.43%)	[4]
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 16, 2011	[4]
Retail Class Prospectus | RS China Fund | MSCI Golden Dragon Index (Gross) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	22.65%	[5]
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	(0.39%)	[5]
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	May 16, 2011	[5]

[1] Contingent deferred sales load of 1.00% applies to purchases of $1 million or more of Class A shares if these shares are sold within 18 months of purchase.

[2] RS Investments has contractually agreed to limit the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (excluding expenses indirectly incurred by the Fund through investments in pooled investment vehicles, interest, taxes, investment-related expenses (e.g., brokerage commissions), and extraordinary expenses) for Class A shares to 1.75% and to limit the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses of each of the other classes of the Fund so that each of those classes benefits from a level of reimbursement (as expressed in basis points) that is the same as the level of reimbursement for Class A shares during the period. This expense limitation will continue through April 30, 2014 and cannot be terminated by RS Investments prior to that date without the action or consent of the Fund's Board of Trustees.

[3] Contingent deferred sales load applies for shares sold within one year of purchase.

[4] Fund's benchmark effective May 1, 2013.

[5] Effective May 1, 2013, the Fund changed its benchmark from the MSCI Golden Dragon Index to the MSCI China Index because the Investment Adviser believes the MSCI China Index is a more appropriate comparative, broad-based market index for the Fund.