Income per Unit (Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded From Computation of Earnings Per Share) (Details) - shares	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	16,421,253	20,118,783	21,429,247
Potentially dilutive 2029 Debentures
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	1,957,963
Potentially dilutive Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,880,254	4,301,438	4,956,175
Potentially dilutive Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	1,939,905	2,727,962	3,143,195
Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,652,503	3,730,042	4,297,805
Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	3,886,966	5,465,987	4,320,495
Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,655,607	1,235,063	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	14,015,235	17,460,492	18,675,633
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive 2029 Debentures
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	0	0	1,957,963
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,880,254	4,301,438	4,956,175
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	1,939,905	2,727,962	3,143,195
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,652,503	3,730,042	4,297,805
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	3,886,966	5,465,987	4,320,495
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock and Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (in shares)	2,655,607	1,235,063	0