Debt of the Operating Partnership (Summary of Outstanding Indebtedness) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) extension $ / SGD $ / € $ / ¥ $ / £ $ / CAD $ / AUD $ / HKD	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / SGD $ / € $ / ¥ $ / £ $ / CAD $ / AUD $ / HKD
Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs	$ (13,300)	$ (7,600)
Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs	(7,200)	(1,300)
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs	$ (25,300)	(26,000)
Senior Notes | 5.875% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	5.875%
Senior Notes | 5.250% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	5.25%
Senior Notes | 3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	3.95%
Senior Notes | 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	3.625%
Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.75%
Senior Notes | 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.25%
Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.75%
Mortgage Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs	$ (200)	(300)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	6,219,439
Unamortized discounts	(17,118)
Unamortized net premiums	404
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	6,202,725
Total indebtedness	6,156,730	5,899,037
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	691,161	967,884
Unamortized discounts	0
Unamortized net premiums	0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	691,161
Deferred financing costs	(13,292)	(7,613)
Total indebtedness	$ 677,869	960,271
Interest rate basis spread	1.00%
Commitment fee percentage	0.20%
Number of extension options | extension	2
Debt instrument, extension term	6 months
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 691,161	$ 967,884
Weighted-average interest rate	0.99%	1.53%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | U.S. dollar ($) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 220,000	$ 274,000
Weighted-average interest rate	1.44%	1.46%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £	1.44	1.47
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | British pound sterling (£) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 15,796	$ 95,784
Weighted-average interest rate	1.51%	1.61%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Euro (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €	1.14	1.09
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Euro (€) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 432,440	$ 280,565
Weighted-average interest rate	0.69%	0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Australian dollar (AUD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / AUD		0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Australian dollar (AUD) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	$ 96,831
Weighted-average interest rate	0.00%	3.16%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / HKD		0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 902	$ 86,082
Weighted-average interest rate	1.25%	1.33%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Japanese yen (JPY)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / ¥		0.01
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Japanese yen (JPY) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	$ 14,304
Weighted-average interest rate	0.00%	1.15%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Singapore dollar (SGD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / SGD	0.74	0.7
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 20,023	$ 49,132
Weighted-average interest rate	2.08%	1.92%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / CAD		0.72
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 2,000	$ 71,186
Weighted-average interest rate	1.87%	1.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,573,376	$ 924,568
Unamortized discounts	0
Unamortized net premiums	0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	1,573,376
Deferred financing costs	(7,191)	(1,301)
Total indebtedness	$ 1,566,185	$ 923,267
Number of extension options | extension	2
Weighted-average interest rate	1.97%	1.76%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	2.23%	1.94%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | U.S. dollar ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 710,911	$ 410,905
Weighted-average interest rate	1.73%	1.51%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | U.S. dollar ($) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	2.39%	1.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 243,366	$ 178,195
Weighted-average interest rate	1.61%	1.78%
Exchange rate | $ / £	1.44	1.47
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | British pound sterling (£) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	1.89%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Euro (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 20,484	$ 99,061
Weighted-average interest rate	0.80%	1.00%
Exchange rate | $ / €	1.14	1.09
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Australian dollar (AUD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 180,935	$ 75,337
Weighted-average interest rate	3.20%	3.27%
Exchange rate | $ / AUD	0.77	0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 86,009	$ 0
Weighted-average interest rate	1.33%	0.00%
Exchange rate | $ / HKD	0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Japanese yen (JPY)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 16,611	$ 0
Weighted-average interest rate	1.04%	0.00%
Exchange rate | $ / ¥	0.01
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Singapore dollar (SGD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 239,314	$ 161,070
Weighted-average interest rate	2.49%	2.16%
Exchange rate | $ / SGD	0.74	0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	2.03%	2.19%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 75,746	$ 0
Weighted-average interest rate	1.97%	0.00%
Exchange rate | $ / CAD	0.77
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	1.88%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Unsecured term loan — 5-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,273,376	$ 924,568
Interest rate basis spread	1.10%
Debt instrument, term	5 years
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Unsecured term loan — 7-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 300,000	0
Interest rate basis spread	1.55%
Debt instrument, term	7 years
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 50,000	75,000
Unamortized discounts	0
Unamortized net premiums	0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	$ 50,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility | Series C
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	9.68%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	25,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility | Series E
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	5.73%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 50,000	50,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	3,655,200
Unamortized discounts	(17,118)	(17,914)
Unamortized net premiums	0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	3,638,082	3,663,606
Deferred financing costs	(25,329)	(26,037)
Total indebtedness	$ 3,662,753	$ 3,712,569
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £	1.44	1.47
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 5.875% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	5.875%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 500,000	$ 500,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 3.400% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	3.40%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 500,000	500,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 5.250% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	5.25%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 400,000	400,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	3.95%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 500,000	500,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	3.625%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 300,000	300,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.75%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 430,800	442,080
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.25%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 574,400	589,440
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate (as a percent)	4.75%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 450,000	450,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	249,702
Unamortized discounts	0
Unamortized net premiums	404	439
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	250,106	303,183
Deferred financing costs	(183)	(253)
Total indebtedness	249,923	302,930
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 2045 & 2055 Lafayette Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 61,143	61,437
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	5.93%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 34551 Ardenwood Boulevard 1-4
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 50,251	50,477
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	5.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 1100 Space Park Drive
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 50,195	50,423
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	5.89%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 600 West Seventh Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	46,000
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	5.80%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 150 South First Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 48,266	48,484
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	6.30%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 2334 Lundy Place
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 36,549	36,714
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	5.96%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 8025 North Interstate 35
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	5,789
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	4.09%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 731 East Trade Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 3,298	$ 3,420
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	8.22%