Income per Unit (Summary of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Net income available to common unitholders	$ 65,134	$ 57,837	$ 151,432	$ 123,982
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (in units)	205,956,005	160,832,889	205,835,757	160,069,201
Potentially dilutive common units:
Unvested incentive units (units)	151,265	161,553	150,864	151,807
Forward equity offering (units)	0	216,526	0	251,119
Market performance-based awards (units)	455,809	570,899	473,549	587,400
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	206,563,079	161,781,867	206,460,170	161,059,527
Income per share:
Basic (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.32	$ 0.36	$ 0.74	$ 0.77
Diluted (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.32	$ 0.36	$ 0.73	$ 0.77
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Net income available to common unitholders	$ 67,834	$ 58,644	$ 157,612	$ 125,693
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (in units)	214,288,199	163,077,599	214,149,188	162,280,678
Potentially dilutive common units:
Unvested incentive units (units)	151,265	161,553	150,864	151,807
Forward equity offering (units)	0	216,526	0	251,119
Market performance-based awards (units)	455,809	570,899	473,549	587,400
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	214,895,273	164,026,577	214,773,601	163,271,004
Income per share:
Basic (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.32	$ 0.36	$ 0.74	$ 0.77
Diluted (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.32	$ 0.36	$ 0.73	$ 0.77