Debt of the Operating Partnership (Debt Schedule) (Details) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 15, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) extension	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / SGD	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / €	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / £	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / ¥	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / CAD	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / AUD	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / HKD	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / SGD	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / €	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / £	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / ¥	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / CAD	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / AUD	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / HKD	Apr. 01, 2014 USD ($) $ / £	Jan. 18, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 24, 2012 USD ($)	Mar. 08, 2011 USD ($)	Jan. 28, 2010 USD ($)
Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net		$ (10,900)									$ (7,600)
Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net		(6,100)									(1,300)
Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net		(25,400)									(26,000)
Senior notes | 5.875% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			5.875%
Senior notes | 5.250% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			5.25%
Senior notes | 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			3.625%
Senior notes | 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			2.625%
Senior notes | 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			4.25%
Senior notes | 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate			4.25%
Mortgage loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net		0									(300)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		5,896,311
Total		5,838,607									5,899,037
Unamortized discounts		(15,649)
Total		5,880,996
Unamortized net premiums		$ 334
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan — 5-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument term	5 years
Basis spread on variable rate		1.10%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan — 7-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument term	7 years
Basis spread on variable rate		1.55%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 210,077									967,884
Deferred financing costs, net		(10,868)									(7,613)
Total		199,209									960,271
Unamortized discounts		0
Total		210,077
Unamortized net premiums		$ 0
Basis spread on variable rate		1.00%
Commitment fee percentage		0.20%
Number of extension options | extension		2
Revolving credit facility commitments extension		6 months
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share)				0.69	1.05	1.23	0.01	0.74		0.13			0.70	1.09	1.47	0.01	0.72	0.73	0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 210,077									967,884
Basis spread on variable rate		1.00%
Weighted-average interest rate			1.39%									1.53%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | U.S. dollar ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 105,000									274,000
Weighted-average interest rate			1.67%									1.46%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		11,106									95,784
Weighted-average interest rate			1.25%									1.61%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Euro (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		15,250									280,565
Weighted-average interest rate			0.63%									0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Australian dollar (AUD)
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 | Floating Rate | Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		1,728									86,082
Weighted-average interest rate			1.66%									1.33%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Japanese yen (JPY)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		54,273									14,304
Weighted-average interest rate			0.92%									1.15%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Singapore dollar (SGD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		11,186									49,132
Weighted-average interest rate			1.52%									1.92%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		11,534									71,186
Weighted-average interest rate			1.92%									1.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		1,488,498									924,568
Deferred financing costs, net		(6,137)									(1,301)
Total		1,482,361									923,267
Unamortized discounts		0
Total		1,488,498
Unamortized net premiums		0
Weighted-average interest rate			1.93%									1.76%
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share)				0.69	1.05	1.23			0.72				0.70	1.09	1.47			0.73
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 ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		710,911									410,905
Weighted-average interest rate			1.99%									1.51%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | U.S. dollar ($) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate			2.45%									1.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		209,132									178,195
Weighted-average interest rate			1.36%									1.78%
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / £						1.23
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 | Australian dollar (AUD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		170,325									75,337
Weighted-average interest rate			2.72%									3.27%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Japanese yen (JPY)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		15,983									0
Weighted-average interest rate			0.98%									0.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Singapore dollar (SGD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		222,824									161,070
Weighted-average interest rate			1.76%									2.16%
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / SGD				0.69									0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate			1.90%									2.19%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / CAD								0.74
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		$ 1,188,498									924,568
Debt instrument term		5 years
Basis spread on variable rate		1.10%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Unsecured term loan — 7-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 300,000									0
Debt instrument term		7 years
Basis spread on variable rate		1.55%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Floating Rate | Euro (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 0									99,061
Weighted-average interest rate			0.00%									1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Floating Rate | Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		86,029									0
Weighted-average interest rate			1.77%									0.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Floating Rate | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		73,294									0
Weighted-average interest rate			2.00%									0.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		50,000									75,000
Unamortized discounts		0
Total		50,000
Unamortized net premiums		0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility | Series C
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									25,000
Stated interest rate			9.68%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility | Series E
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		50,000									50,000
Stated interest rate			5.73%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		4,144,820
Deferred financing costs, net		(25,374)									(26,037)
Total		4,153,797									3,712,569
Unamortized discounts		(15,649)									(17,914)
Total		4,129,171									3,663,606
Unamortized net premiums		0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 5.875% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		500,000									500,000
Deferred financing costs, net																								$ (4,400)
Stated interest rate			5.875%																					5.875%
Unamortized discounts																								$ (8,500)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.400% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		500,000									500,000
Stated interest rate			3.40%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 5.250% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		400,000									400,000
Deferred financing costs, net																							$ (3,600)
Stated interest rate			5.25%																				5.25%
Unamortized discounts																							$ (900)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		500,000									500,000
Stated interest rate			3.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		300,000									300,000
Deferred financing costs, net																						$ (3,000)
Stated interest rate			3.625%																			3.625%
Unamortized discounts																						$ (3,900)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		370,200									442,080
Deferred financing costs, net																				$ (5,000)
Stated interest rate			4.75%																	4.75%
Unamortized discounts																				$ (3,000)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 4.750% notes due 2023 | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / £																				1.66
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		631,020									0
Stated interest rate			2.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		493,600									589,440
Deferred financing costs, net																					$ (5,800)
Stated interest rate			4.25%																		4.25%
Unamortized discounts																					$ (4,800)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		450,000									450,000
Stated interest rate			4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		2,916
Deferred financing costs, net		(10)									(253)
Total		3,240									302,930
Unamortized discounts		0
Total		3,250									303,183
Unamortized net premiums		334									439
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / £						1.23									1.47
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 2045 & 2055 LaFayette Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									61,437
Interest rate at period end			5.93%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 34551 Ardenwood Boulevard 1-4
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									50,477
Interest rate at period end			5.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 1100 Space Park Drive
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									50,423
Interest rate at period end			5.89%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 600 West Seventh Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									46,000
Interest rate at period end			5.80%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 150 South First Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									48,484
Interest rate at period end			6.30%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 2334 Lundy Place
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									36,714
Interest rate at period end			5.96%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 8025 North Interstate 35
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		0									5,789
Interest rate at period end			4.09%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 731 East Trade Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 2,916									$ 3,420
Interest rate at period end			8.22%