Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 84,563	$ 62,333
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss (gain) on sale of properties	522	(1,097)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(5,324)	(4,078)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	4,448	4,115
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	0	(1)
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	131,807	127,175
Amortization of share-based compensation	4,064	4,304
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps	301	0
Allowance for (recovery of) doubtful accounts	(1,310)	(1,931)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,443	2,260
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	964
Amortization of debt discount/premium	674	611
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	44,659	41,841
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net	(2,026)	(2,266)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables	9,455	3,221
Deferred rent	(4,033)	(7,456)
Deferred leasing costs	(1,898)	(4,147)
Other assets	(13,040)	(15,424)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(38,421)	(39,317)
Security deposits and prepaid rents	2,182	9,507
Net cash provided by operating activities	219,066	180,614
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	(13,585)	(1,329)
Proceeds from sale of properties, net	0	35,769
Excess proceeds from forward contracts	51,308	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(5,749)	(11)
Receipt of value added tax refund	0	951
Refundable value added tax paid	0	(4,319)
Improvements to investments in real estate	(254,359)	(183,890)
Improvement advances to tenants	(5,073)	(9,617)
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	11,890	8,318
Net cash used in investing activities	(215,568)	(154,128)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facility	715,524	692,593
Repayments on global revolving credit facility	(358,219)	(975,287)
Borrowings on unsecured term loan	0	766,201
Repayments on unsecured term loan	0	(150,873)
Repayments on unsecured notes	(50,000)	(25,000)
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(132)	(53,041)
Earnout payments related to acquisition	0	(12,129)
Payment of loan fees and costs	(144)	(14,207)
Capital distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net	(146)	(115)
Common and preferred stock offering costs paid, net	118	137
Proceeds from equity plans	2,606	1,805
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(17,393)	(22,424)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common stockholders/unitholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(295,105)	(258,475)
Net cash used in financing activities	(2,891)	(50,815)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	607	(24,329)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	2,754	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	22,036	75,062
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	25,397	50,733
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	53,819	61,678
Cash paid for income taxes	3,569	1,541
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	16,578	(1,441)
Decrease in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign currency hedges	(4,364)	(7,409)
Acquisition measurement period adjustment to goodwill and accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	2,162	0
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership redeemed for or converted to shares of common stock	(2,744)	2,930
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	138,162	108,251
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	13,585	1,329
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	13,585	1,329
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	84,563	62,333
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Loss (gain) on sale of properties	522	(1,097)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(5,324)	(4,078)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	4,448	4,115
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	0	(1)
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	131,807	127,175
Amortization of share-based compensation	4,064	4,304
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps	301	0
Allowance for (recovery of) doubtful accounts	(1,310)	(1,931)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	2,443	2,260
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	964
Amortization of debt discount/premium	674	611
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	44,659	41,841
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net	(2,026)	(2,266)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables	9,455	3,221
Deferred rent	(4,033)	(7,456)
Deferred leasing costs	(1,898)	(4,147)
Other assets	(13,040)	(15,424)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(38,421)	(39,317)
Security deposits and prepaid rents	2,182	9,507
Net cash provided by operating activities	219,066	180,614
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	(13,585)	(1,329)
Proceeds from sale of properties, net	0	35,769
Excess proceeds from forward contracts	51,308	0
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	(5,749)	(11)
Receipt of value added tax refund	0	951
Refundable value added tax paid	0	(4,319)
Improvements to investments in real estate	(254,359)	(183,890)
Improvement advances to tenants	(5,073)	(9,617)
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	11,890	8,318
Net cash used in investing activities	(215,568)	(154,128)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facility	715,524	692,593
Repayments on global revolving credit facility	(358,219)	(975,287)
Borrowings on unsecured term loan	0	766,201
Repayments on unsecured term loan	0	(150,873)
Repayments on unsecured notes	(50,000)	(25,000)
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(132)	(53,041)
Earnout payments related to acquisition	0	(12,129)
Payment of loan fees and costs	(144)	(14,207)
Capital distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net	(146)	(115)
General partner contributions, net	2,724	1,942
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(17,393)	(22,424)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common stockholders/unitholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(295,105)	(258,475)
Net cash used in financing activities	(2,891)	(50,815)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	607	(24,329)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	2,754	0
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	22,036	75,062
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	25,397	50,733
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest	53,819	61,678
Cash paid for income taxes	3,569	1,541
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	16,578	(1,441)
Decrease in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign currency hedges	(4,364)	(7,409)
Acquisition measurement period adjustment to goodwill and accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	2,162	0
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	138,162	108,251
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	13,585	1,329
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	$ 13,585	$ 1,329