Debt of the Operating Partnership (Debt Schedule) (Details)		2 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 15, 2016	Oct. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) extension	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / SGD	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / €	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / ¥	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / £	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / CAD	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / AUD	Dec. 31, 2017 $ / HKD	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
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gain on extinguishment of debt			$ 1,990,000	$ (1,011,000)	$ (148,000)
Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net			(7,200,000)	(10,900,000)
Long-term Line of Credit			550,946,000	199,209,000
Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net			(4,800,000)	(6,100,000)
Long-term Line of Credit			1,420,333,000	1,482,361,000
Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net			(37,800,000)	(25,400,000)
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 | 2.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate						2.75%
Senior notes | 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate						2.625%
Senior notes | 2.750% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate						2.75%
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%
Senior notes | 3.700% notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate						3.70%
Senior notes | 3.300% notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate						3.30%
Mortgage loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs, net			0	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			8,716,731,000
Total			8,648,618,000	5,838,607,000
Unamortized discounts			(18,508,000)
Total			8,698,464,000
Unamortized net premiums			241,000
Gain on extinguishment of debt			$ 1,990,000	(1,011,000)	$ (148,000)
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			$ 558,191,000	210,077,000
Deferred financing costs, net			(7,245,000)	(10,868,000)
Total			550,946,000	199,209,000
Stated interest rate						4.50%
Unamortized discounts			0
Total			558,191,000
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
Weighted-average interest rate						2.21%										1.39%
Long-term Line of Credit			$ 550,946,000	199,209,000
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share)										1.20	0.01	1.35	0.80		0.13		0.69	1.05	0.01	1.23	0.74		0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			$ 543,191,000	210,077,000
Basis spread on variable rate			1.00%
Weighted-average interest rate						2.15%										1.39%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | U.S. dollar ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			$ 400,000,000	105,000,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.48%										1.67%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			18,918,000	11,106,000
Weighted-average interest rate						1.50%										1.25%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Euro (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			31,213,000	15,250,000
Weighted-average interest rate						0.62%										0.63%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			4,100,000	1,728,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.20%										1.66%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Japanese yen (JPY)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			65,890,000	54,273,000
Weighted-average interest rate						0.96%										0.92%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Singapore dollar (SGD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			0	11,186,000
Weighted-average interest rate						0.00%										1.52%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			23,070,000	11,534,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.36%										1.92%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Base Rate [Member] | U.S. dollar ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate						4.50%										0.00%
Long-term Line of Credit			15,000,000	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			1,425,117,000	1,488,498,000
Deferred financing costs, net			(4,784,000)	(6,137,000)
Total			1,420,333,000	1,482,361,000
Unamortized discounts			0
Total			1,425,117,000
Unamortized net premiums			0
Weighted-average interest rate						2.42%										1.93%
Long-term Line of Credit			1,420,333,000	1,482,361,000
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share)									0.75	1.20		1.35		0.78			0.69	1.05	0.01	1.23	0.74	0.72	0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate						2.41%										2.23%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | U.S. dollar ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			606,911,000	710,911,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.78%										1.99%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | U.S. dollar ($) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate						2.72%										2.45%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			229,011,000	209,132,000
Weighted-average interest rate						1.59%										1.36%
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / £												1.35								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%										1.89%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Australian dollar (AUD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			179,841,000	170,325,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.79%										2.72%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Japanese yen (JPY)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			11,447,000	15,983,000
Weighted-average interest rate						1.05%										0.98%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Singapore dollar (SGD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			233,788,000	222,824,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.17%										1.76%
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / SGD																	0.69
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate																1.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / CAD													0.80								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%										1.88%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Unsecured term loan — 5-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			$ 1,125,117,000	1,188,498,000
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			$ 300,000,000	300,000,000
Debt instrument term			7 years
Basis spread on variable rate			1.55%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Floating Rate | Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			$ 85,762,000	86,029,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.20%										1.77%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan | Floating Rate | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			78,357,000	73,294,000
Weighted-average interest rate						2.44%										2.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			0	50,000,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Prudential Shelf Facility | Series E
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			0	50,000,000
Stated interest rate						5.73%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			6,627,053,000
Deferred financing costs, net			(37,788,000)	(25,374,000)
Total			6,570,757,000	4,153,797,000
Unamortized discounts			(18,508,000)	(15,649,000)
Total			6,608,545,000	4,129,171,000
Unamortized net premiums			0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | Floating rate notes due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount | €								€ 125,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			150,063,000	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 5.875% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			500,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			500,000,000	500,000,000
Stated interest rate						5.875%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.400% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			500,000,000	500,000,000
Stated interest rate						3.40%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 5.250% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			400,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			400,000,000	400,000,000
Stated interest rate						5.25%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 5.875% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			0	0
Stated interest rate						5.875%
Fair value of notes			620,500,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			500,000,000	500,000,000
Stated interest rate						3.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			300,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			300,000,000	300,000,000
Stated interest rate						3.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 2.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			350,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			350,000,000	0
Stated interest rate						2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 5.625% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			0	0
Stated interest rate						5.625%
Extinguishment of debt, amount		$ 884,900,000
Fair value of notes			266,300,000
Gain on extinguishment of debt		$ 2,000,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount | £							£ 300,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			405,390,000	370,200,000
Stated interest rate						4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount | €								€ 600,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			720,300,000	631,020,000
Stated interest rate						2.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 2.750% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount | £							250,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			337,825,000	0
Stated interest rate						2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount | £							£ 400,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			540,520,000	493,600,000
Stated interest rate						4.25%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			450,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			450,000,000	450,000,000
Stated interest rate						4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.700% notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			1,000,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			1,000,000,000	0
Stated interest rate						3.70%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | 3.300% notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount			350,000,000
Long-term debt, gross			$ 472,955,000	0
Stated interest rate						3.30%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | EURIBOR rate | Floating rate notes due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			0.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior notes | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Secured note due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate			1.10%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			$ 106,370,000
Deferred financing costs, net			(29,000)	(10,000)
Total			106,582,000	3,240,000
Unamortized discounts			0
Total			106,611,000	3,250,000
Unamortized net premiums			241,000	334,000
Derivative forward exchange rate (in dollars per share) | $ / £												1.35								1.23
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | 731 East Trade Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			2,370,000	2,916,000
Interest rate at period end						8.22%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage loans | Secured note due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross			$ 104,000,000	$ 0