Debt of the Operating Partnership (Summary of Outstanding Indebtedness) (Details) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
	Jan. 15, 2016 extension	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) $ / € $ / £	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / € $ / £
3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		3.95%
3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		3.625%
2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		2.625%
2.750% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		2.75%
4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		4.75%
Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs		$ (4,700)	$ (7,200)
Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs		(3,700)	(4,800)
Unsecured Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Deferred financing costs		$ (38,300)	(37,800)
Unsecured Senior Notes | 5.875% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		5.875%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 5.250% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		5.25%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		3.95%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		3.625%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 2.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		2.75%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		4.75%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		2.625%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 2.750% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		2.75%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		4.25%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		4.75%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.700% notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		3.70%
Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.450% notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		4.45%
Unsecured 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		$ 0	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		9,242,935
Total indebtedness		9,179,871	8,648,618
Unamortized discounts		(16,495)
Unamortized net premiums		171
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)		$ 9,226,611
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan — 5-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread		1.10%
Debt instrument term	5 years
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loan — 7-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread		1.55%
Debt instrument term	7 years
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 594,983	558,191
Deferred financing costs		(4,694)	(7,245)
Total indebtedness		590,289	$ 550,946
Unamortized discounts		0
Unamortized net premiums		0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)		$ 594,983
Commitment fee percentage		0.20%
Number of extension options | extension	2
Debt instrument, extension term	6 months
Interest rate basis spread		1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £			1.35
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Euro (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €		1.16	1.20
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 1,356,702	$ 1,425,117
Deferred financing costs		(3,733)	(4,784)
Total indebtedness		1,352,969	1,420,333
Unamortized discounts		0
Unamortized net premiums		0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)		1,356,702
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Term Loans | British pound sterling (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 220,843	$ 229,011
Exchange rate | $ / £		1.30	1.35
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Term Loans | Euro (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €		1.16	1.20
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Term Loans | Unsecured term loan — 5-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 1,056,702	$ 1,125,117
Interest rate basis spread		1.10%
Debt instrument term		5 years
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Term Loans | Unsecured term loan — 7-year
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 300,000	300,000
Interest rate basis spread		1.55%
Debt instrument term		7 years
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 7,185,320
Deferred financing costs		(38,284)	(37,788)
Total indebtedness		7,130,541	6,570,757
Unamortized discounts		(16,495)	(18,508)
Unamortized net premiums		0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)		7,168,825	6,608,545
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | Floating rate notes due 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 145,050	150,063
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | Floating rate notes due 2019 | EURIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread		0.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 5.875% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 500,000	500,000
Stated interest rate		5.875%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.400% notes due 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 500,000	500,000
Stated interest rate		3.40%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 5.250% notes due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 400,000	400,000
Stated interest rate		5.25%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 500,000	500,000
Stated interest rate		3.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 300,000	300,000
Stated interest rate		3.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 2.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 350,000	350,000
Stated interest rate		2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 390,930	405,390
Stated interest rate		4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 696,240	720,300
Stated interest rate		2.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 2.750% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 325,775	337,825
Stated interest rate		2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 521,240	540,520
Stated interest rate		4.25%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 450,000	450,000
Stated interest rate		4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.700% notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 1,000,000	1,000,000
Stated interest rate		3.70%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 4.450% notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 650,000	0
Stated interest rate		4.45%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | 3.300% notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 456,085	472,955
Stated interest rate		3.30%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured Senior Notes | Secured note due 2023 | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread		1.10%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 105,930
Deferred financing costs		(29)	(29)
Total indebtedness		106,072	106,582
Unamortized discounts		0
Unamortized net premiums		171	241
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)		106,101	106,611
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | 731 East Trade Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 1,930	2,370
Effective interest rate (as a percent)		8.22%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Mortgage Loans | Secured note due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 104,000	$ 104,000