Debt Instrument, Extension Length

No definition available.

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentExtensionLength
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Financing Costs Capitalized Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_FinancingCostsCapitalizedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of extension options

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_NumberOfExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=dlr_DigitalRealtyTrustLPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=dlr_GlobalRevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dlr_LineOfCreditFeaturesAxis=dlr_AccordianFeatureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_BaseRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CurrencyAxis=currency_USD
Namespace Prefix:
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Debt of the Operating Partnership (Global Revolving Credit Facility) (Narrative) (Details) - Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) extension	Jan. 15, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 15, 2013 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 6,086,467,000
Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 2,000,000,000.0
Number of extension options \| extension	2
Revolving credit facility commitments extension	6 months
Interest rate basis spread	1.00%
Weighted-average interest rate	1.39%		1.53%
Commitment fee percentage	0.20%
Capitalized financing costs related to global revolving facilities	$ 15,000,000
Long-term debt, gross	164,786,000		$ 967,884,000
Letter of credit security amount	$ 20,300,000
Global revolving credit facility \| Accordian Feature
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				$ 2,500,000,000
Base Rate \| U.S. dollar ($) \| Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	3.50%		0.00%
Long-term debt, gross	$ 8,000,000		$ 0