Income per Unit (Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings per Share) (Details) - shares	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	20,270,271	9,792,977	20,468,837	11,103,025
Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	1,898,314	0	1,932,872	0
Potentially dilutive Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	0	70,119	0	926,601
Series G Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,353,805	2,157,221	2,396,655	2,297,648
Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	3,449,255	3,161,182	3,512,048	3,366,963
Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,356,559	2,159,745	2,399,459	2,300,337
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	11,938,077	7,548,267	12,155,405	8,891,549
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	1,898,314	0	1,932,872	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	0	70,119	0	926,601
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series G Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,353,805	2,157,221	2,396,655	2,297,648
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	3,449,255	3,161,182	3,512,048	3,366,963
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,356,559	2,159,745	2,399,459	2,300,337
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	1,880,144	0	1,914,371	0