Consolidated Income Statements - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Operating Revenues:
Rental	$ 1,774,649	$ 1,542,511	$ 1,354,986
Tenant reimbursements	440,224	355,903	359,875
Interconnection and other	235,652	204,317	40,759
Fee income	6,372	6,285	6,638
Other	1,031	33,197	1,078
Total operating revenues	2,457,928	2,142,213	1,763,336
Operating Expenses:
Rental property operating and maintenance	759,616	660,177	549,885
Property taxes	124,014	102,497	92,588
Insurance	10,981	9,492	8,809
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0	0	(44,276)
Depreciation and amortization	842,464	699,324	570,527
General and administrative	161,441	152,733	105,549
Transaction and integration expenses	76,048	20,491	17,400
Impairment of investments in real estate	28,992	0	0
Other	3,077	213	60,943
Total operating expenses	2,006,633	1,644,927	1,361,425
Operating income	451,295	497,286	401,911
Other Income (Expenses):
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	25,516	17,104	15,491
Gain on sale of properties	40,354	169,902	94,604
Interest and other income	3,655	(4,564)	(2,381)
Interest expense	(258,642)	(236,480)	(201,435)
Tax expense	(7,901)	(10,385)	(6,451)
Gain (loss) from early extinguishment of debt	1,990	(1,011)	(148)
Net income	256,267	431,852	301,591
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(8,008)	(5,665)	(4,902)
Net income attributable to Digital Realty Trust, Inc./Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	248,259	426,187	296,689
Preferred stock dividends/Preferred units distributions	(68,802)	(83,771)	(79,423)
Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock	(6,309)	(10,328)	0
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 173,148	$ 332,088	$ 217,266
Net income per share/unit available to common stockholders/unitholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.99	$ 2.21	$ 1.57
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.99	$ 2.20	$ 1.56
Weighted average common shares/units outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	174,059,386	149,953,662	138,247,606
Diluted (in shares)	174,895,098	150,679,688	138,865,421
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Operating Revenues:
Rental	$ 1,774,649	$ 1,542,511	$ 1,354,986
Tenant reimbursements	440,224	355,903	359,875
Interconnection and other	235,652	204,317	40,759
Fee income	6,372	6,285	6,638
Other	1,031	33,197	1,078
Total operating revenues	2,457,928	2,142,213	1,763,336
Operating Expenses:
Rental property operating and maintenance	759,616	660,177	549,885
Property taxes	124,014	102,497	92,588
Insurance	10,981	9,492	8,809
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0	0	(44,276)
Depreciation and amortization	842,464	699,324	570,527
General and administrative	161,441	152,733	105,549
Transaction and integration expenses	76,048	20,491	17,400
Impairment of investments in real estate	28,992	0	0
Other	3,077	213	60,943
Total operating expenses	2,006,633	1,644,927	1,361,425
Operating income	451,295	497,286	401,911
Other Income (Expenses):
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	25,516	17,104	15,491
Gain on sale of properties	40,354	169,902	94,604
Interest and other income	3,655	(4,564)	(2,381)
Interest expense	(258,642)	(236,480)	(202,800)
Tax expense	(7,901)	(10,385)	(6,451)
Gain (loss) from early extinguishment of debt	1,990	(1,011)	(148)
Net income	256,267	431,852	300,226
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures	(4,238)	(367)	(460)
Net income attributable to Digital Realty Trust, Inc./Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	252,029	431,485	299,766
Preferred stock dividends/Preferred units distributions	(68,802)	(83,771)	(79,423)
Issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock	(6,309)	(10,328)	0
Net income available to common stockholders/unitholders	$ 176,918	$ 337,386	$ 220,343
Net income per share/unit available to common stockholders/unitholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.99	$ 2.21	$ 1.56
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.99	$ 2.20	$ 1.55
Weighted average common shares/units outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	178,055,936	152,359,680	140,905,897
Diluted (in shares)	178,891,648	153,085,706	141,523,712