Debt Instrument, Extension Length

No definition available.

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentExtensionLength
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number Of Extension Options

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_NumberOfExtensionOptions
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of debt for which creditor does not have general recourse to the debtor but rather has recourse only to the property used for collateral in the transaction or other specific property.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NonRecourseDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=dlr_DigitalRealtyTrustLPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=dlr_UnsecuredTermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_A2019TermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_SecuredNoteDueDecember2023Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_UnsecuredTermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_DelayedDrawTermLoanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Debt of the Operating Partnership (Ascenty Acquisition Financing) (Details)				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 20, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 19, 2018 extension	Oct. 24, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) extension	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 15, 2016 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-recourse debt	$ 775,000,000
Line of Credit \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity	50,000,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross				$ 11,201,590,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Secured debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross				705,776,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross				1,183,120,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| 2019 Term Loan \| Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross				375,000,000	$ 0
Debt instrument term			1 year
Number of extension options \| extension		1
Debt extension		6 months
Interest rate at period end		3.47%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Secured note due December 2023 \| Secured debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 600,000,000			$ 104,000,000	$ 104,000,000
Debt instrument term	5 years
Basis spread on variable rate	4.25%
Interest rate at period end				7.04%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Unsecured term loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross				$ 800,000,000
Number of extension options \| extension				2
Debt extension				6 months
Basis spread on variable rate				1.00%
Maximum borrowing capacity						$ 1,550,000,000.00
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Delayed Draw Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 125,000,000