Consolidated Income Statements - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Operating Revenues:
Rental	$ 1,542,511	$ 1,354,986	$ 1,256,086
Tenant reimbursements	355,903	359,875	350,234
Interconnection and other	204,317	40,759	0
Fee income	6,285	6,638	7,268
Other	33,197	1,078	2,850
Total operating revenues	2,142,213	1,763,336	1,616,438
Operating Expenses:
Rental property operating and maintenance	660,177	549,885	503,140
Property taxes	102,497	92,588	91,538
Insurance	9,492	8,809	8,643
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0	(44,276)	(8,093)
Depreciation and amortization	699,324	570,527	538,513
General and administrative	152,733	105,549	93,188
Transaction expenses	20,491	17,400	1,303
Impairment of investments in real estate	0	0	126,470
Other	213	60,943	3,070
Total operating expenses	1,644,927	1,361,425	1,357,772
Operating income	497,286	401,911	258,666
Other Income (Expenses):
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	17,104	15,491	13,289
Gain on sale of property	169,902	94,604	15,945
Gain on contribution of properties to unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	95,404
Gain on sale of equity investment	0	0	14,551
Interest and other income	(4,564)	(2,381)	2,663
Interest expense	(236,480)	(201,435)	(191,085)
Tax expense	(10,385)	(6,451)	(5,238)
Loss from early extinguishment of debt	(1,011)	(148)	(780)
Net income	431,852	301,591	203,415
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(5,665)	(4,902)	(3,232)
Net income attributable to Digital Realty Trust, Inc./Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	426,187	296,689	200,183
Preferred stock dividends/Preferred units distributions	(83,771)	(79,423)	(67,465)
Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock	(10,328)	0	0
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 332,088	$ 217,266	$ 132,718
Net income per share/unit available to common stockholders/unitholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.21	$ 1.57	$ 1.00
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.20	$ 1.56	$ 0.99
Weighted average common shares/units outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	149,953,662	138,247,606	133,369,047
Diluted (in shares)	150,679,688	138,865,421	133,637,235
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Operating Revenues:
Rental	$ 1,542,511	$ 1,354,986	$ 1,256,086
Tenant reimbursements	355,903	359,875	350,234
Interconnection and other	204,317	40,759	0
Fee income	6,285	6,638	7,268
Other	33,197	1,078	2,850
Total operating revenues	2,142,213	1,763,336	1,616,438
Operating Expenses:
Rental property operating and maintenance	660,177	549,885	503,140
Property taxes	102,497	92,588	91,538
Insurance	9,492	8,809	8,643
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0	(44,276)	(8,093)
Depreciation and amortization	699,324	570,527	538,513
General and administrative	152,733	105,549	93,188
Transaction expenses	20,491	17,400	1,303
Impairment of investments in real estate	0	0	126,470
Other	213	60,943	3,070
Total operating expenses	1,644,927	1,361,425	1,357,772
Operating income	497,286	401,911	258,666
Other Income (Expenses):
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	17,104	15,491	13,289
Gain on sale of property	169,902	94,604	15,945
Gain on contribution of properties to unconsolidated joint ventures	0	0	95,404
Gain on sale of equity investment	0	0	14,551
Interest and other income	(4,564)	(2,381)	2,663
Interest expense	(236,480)	(202,800)	(191,085)
Tax expense	(10,385)	(6,451)	(5,238)
Loss from early extinguishment of debt	(1,011)	(148)	(780)
Net income	431,852	300,226	203,415
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures	(367)	(460)	(465)
Net income attributable to Digital Realty Trust, Inc./Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	431,485	299,766	202,950
Preferred stock dividends/Preferred units distributions	(83,771)	(79,423)	(67,465)
Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock	(10,328)	0	0
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 337,386	$ 220,343	$ 135,485
Net income per share/unit available to common stockholders/unitholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.21	$ 1.56	$ 1.00
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.20	$ 1.55	$ 0.99
Weighted average common shares/units outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	152,359,680	140,905,897	136,122,661
Diluted (in shares)	153,085,706	141,523,712	136,390,849