Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 335,712	$ 318,164
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on sale of properties	(170,097)	(94,282)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(12,362)	(12,170)
Change in fair value of accrued contingent consideration	0	(44,276)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	12,578	10,786
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	(23)	(8)
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	387,492	346,459
Amortization of share-based compensation	13,459	5,717
Allowance for doubtful accounts	4,208	739
Amortization of deferred financing costs	7,453	6,360
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	982	148
Amortization of debt discount/premium	1,947	1,472
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	135,252	51,112
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net	(6,303)	(6,856)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	4,398	2,878
Accounts and other receivables	(46,497)	(1,382)
Deferred rent	(20,347)	(41,447)
Deferred leasing costs	(3,905)	(2,611)
Other assets	(146,763)	(14,869)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	127,139	13,213
Security deposits and prepaid rents	7,128	60
Net cash provided by operating activities	631,451	539,207
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	(873,285)	(48,424)
Proceeds from sale of properties, net	359,319	185,565
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	(7,547)
Receipt of value added tax refund	7,807	2,934
Refundable value added tax paid	(36,328)	(24,142)
Change in restricted cash	2,028	1,520
Improvements to investments in real estate	(549,364)	(535,141)
Improvement advances to tenants	(7,937)	(26,977)
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	25,369	26,971
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,072,391)	(425,241)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	2,355,166	1,430,671
Repayments on revolving credit facility	(3,161,016)	(1,240,340)
Borrowings on unsecured term loan	766,201	0
Repayments on unsecured term loan	(170,736)	0
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes	675,591	496,190
Principal payments on unsecured senior notes	0	(374,927)
Repayments on unsecured notes	(25,000)	(67,000)
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(191,302)	(73,724)
Earnout payments related to acquisition	(23,842)	(12,985)
Change in restricted cash	(99)	1,137
Payment of loan fees and costs	(19,274)	(5,116)
Capital distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net	(375)	(372)
Gross proceeds from the issuance of common stock	1,089,154	0
Gross proceeds from the issuance of preferred stock	0	250,000
Common and preferred stock offering costs paid, net	(3,063)	(5,934)
Redemption of series E preferred stock	(287,500)	0
Proceeds from equity plans	4,729	798
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(66,378)	(55,367)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common unit/stockholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(521,620)	(468,813)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	420,636	(125,782)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(20,304)	(11,816)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(304)	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	57,053	34,814
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	36,445	22,998
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	172,463	146,105
Cash paid for income taxes	3,646	2,979
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	(37,388)	(41,480)
Decrease in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(2,113)	(4,374)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership redeemed for or converted to shares of common stock	4,049	1,364
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	125,104	115,632
Accrual for potential earnout contingency	0	18,900
Note receivable related to sale of property	0	9,000
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	874,220	48,424
Acquired below-market leases	935	0
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	873,285	48,424
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	335,712	317,011
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on sale of properties	(170,097)	(94,282)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(12,362)	(12,170)
Change in fair value of accrued contingent consideration	0	(44,276)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	12,578	10,786
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	(23)	(8)
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	387,492	346,459
Amortization of share-based compensation	13,459	5,717
Allowance for doubtful accounts	4,208	739
Amortization of deferred financing costs	7,453	6,360
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	982	148
Amortization of debt discount/premium	1,947	1,472
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	135,252	51,112
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net	(6,303)	(6,856)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Restricted cash	4,398	2,878
Accounts and other receivables	(46,497)	(1,382)
Deferred rent	(20,347)	(41,447)
Deferred leasing costs	(3,905)	(2,611)
Other assets	(146,763)	(14,869)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	127,139	14,366
Security deposits and prepaid rents	7,128	60
Net cash provided by operating activities	631,451	539,207
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	(873,285)	(48,424)
Proceeds from sale of properties, net	359,319	185,565
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	0	(7,547)
Receipt of value added tax refund	7,807	2,934
Refundable value added tax paid	(36,328)	(24,142)
Change in restricted cash	2,028	1,520
Improvements to investments in real estate	(549,364)	(535,141)
Improvement advances to tenants	(7,937)	(26,977)
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	25,369	26,971
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,072,391)	(425,241)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	2,355,166	1,430,671
Repayments on revolving credit facility	(3,161,016)	(1,240,340)
Borrowings on unsecured term loan	766,201	0
Repayments on unsecured term loan	(170,736)	0
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes	675,591	496,190
Principal payments on unsecured senior notes	0	(374,927)
Repayments on unsecured notes	(25,000)	(67,000)
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(191,302)	(73,724)
Earnout payments related to acquisition	(23,842)	(12,985)
Change in restricted cash	(99)	1,137
Payment of loan fees and costs	(19,274)	(5,116)
Capital distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net	(375)	(372)
General partner contributions, net	803,320	2,175
Due to Parent	0	242,689
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(66,378)	(55,367)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common unit/stockholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(521,620)	(468,813)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	420,636	(125,782)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(20,304)	(11,816)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	(304)	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	57,053	34,814
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	36,445	22,998
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	172,463	146,105
Cash paid for income taxes	3,646	2,979
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	(37,388)	(41,480)
Decrease in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(2,113)	(4,374)
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	125,104	115,632
Accrual for potential earnout contingency	0	18,900
Note receivable related to sale of property	0	9,000
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	874,220	48,424
Acquired below-market leases	935	0
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	$ 873,285	$ 48,424