Debt of the Operating Partnership (Floating and Base Rate Borrowing) (Details) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) $ / $ $ / € $ / ¥ $ / $ $ / $ $ / $	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) $ / € $ / ¥ $ / £ $ / $ $ / $
Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread	0.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 9,242,935
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 594,983	$ 558,191
Weighted-average interest rate	2.35%	2.21%
Interest rate basis spread	1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 589,983	$ 543,191
Weighted-average interest rate	2.32%	2.15%
Interest rate basis spread	1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 240,000	$ 400,000
Weighted-average interest rate	3.23%	2.48%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | Global revolving credit facility | Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 5,000	$ 15,000
Weighted-average interest rate	5.25%	4.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling (£) | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £		1.35
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling (£) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	$ 18,918
Weighted-average interest rate	0.00%	1.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro (€) | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €	1.16	1.20
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro (€) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 74,846	$ 31,213
Weighted-average interest rate	0.62%	0.62%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.72
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 58,659	$ 0
Weighted-average interest rate	2.85%	0.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.13	0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 7,779	$ 4,100
Weighted-average interest rate	2.91%	2.20%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Japanese yen (JPY) | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / ¥	0.01	0.01
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Japanese yen (JPY) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 116,195	$ 65,890
Weighted-average interest rate	0.90%	0.96%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 25,114	$ 0
Weighted-average interest rate	2.61%	0.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Global revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.77	0.80
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Global revolving credit facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 67,390	$ 23,070
Weighted-average interest rate	2.82%	2.36%