Acquisitions - Additional Information (Detail) ¥ / shares in Units, ¥ in Millions								3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Nov. 02, 2015 JPY (¥) ¥ / shares	Nov. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 JPY (¥)	May. 29, 2015 GBP (£) market	Jan. 14, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Oct. 01, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 JPY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 02, 2015 USD ($)	May. 29, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 25, 2011
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Revenue																$ 2,725,867,000	$ 2,443,776,000	$ 2,152,766,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Equinix								$ 10,731,000	$ 41,132,000	$ 59,459,000	$ 76,452,000	$ (355,103,000)	$ 42,841,000	$ 11,328,000	$ 41,387,000	187,774,000	(259,547,000)	94,685,000
Goodwill												$ 1,002,129,000					1,002,129,000	1,042,153,000		$ 1,063,200,000
Net cash consideration																245,553,000	0	49,337,000
Net increase in the redemption value of the redeemable non-controlling interests																	(90,913,000)	(47,940,000)
Bit-isle [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Percentage of outstanding shares including stock options																					97.00%
Offer price (in jpy per share) | ¥ / shares	¥ 922
Cash consideration for acquisition	¥ 33,200	$ 275,367,000
Acquisition costs																8,645,000
Revenue								21,588,000								21,588,000
Net income (loss) attributable to Equinix								$ 3,233,000								$ 229,000
Goodwill																					$ 95,444,000
Bit-isle [Member] | Customer relationships [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount rate (percent)	11.00%	11.00%
Bit-isle [Member] | Trade name [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount rate (percent)	12.00%	12.00%
Relief of royalty rate (percent)	0.020	0.020
Nimbo Technologies Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration for acquisition					$ 10,000,000
Contingent earn out period (in years)					2 years
Goodwill					$ 17,192,000
Telecity Group plc [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Number of new markets added | market				7
Cash placed in restricted account				£ 322,851,000																		$ 475,689,000
Frankfurt Kleyer 90 Carrier Hotel Acquisition [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration for acquisition							$ 50,092,000
Acquisition costs																		$ 4,794,000
Frankfurt Kleyer 90 Carrier Hotel Acquisition [Member] | Customer contracts [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Discount rate (percent)							9.00%
ALOG [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Voting interests acquired (percent)																							90.00%
Indirect controlling interest (percent)																							53.00%
Acquisition of ALOG [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition costs																	1,333,000
Percentage of ownership						10.00%
Equity interest (percent)						100.00%
Net cash consideration						$ 225,629,000
Business acquisition contingent consideration						686,000
Net increase in the redemption value of the redeemable non-controlling interests																	$ 90,966,000
Acquisition of ALOG [Member] | Riverwood and ALOG Management [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net cash consideration						216,484,000
Acquisition of ALOG [Member] | ALOG Employees [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Net cash consideration						$ 8,459,000
Bridge term loan [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Short-term debt																			¥ 46,460	386,547,000
Debt term (in years)			1 year
Bridge term loan [Member] | Bit-isle [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Loans payable			¥ 47,500																	$ 395,339,000
Bridge term loan [Member] | Telecity Group plc [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Short-term debt				£ 875,000,000																		1,289,000,000
Debt term (in years)				12 months
Debt extended maturity period (in years)				7 years
Commitment fees				£ 4,375,000																		$ 6,446,000