Debt of the Operating Partnership (Floating and Base Rate Borrowing) (Details) - Digital Realty Trust, L.P. $ in Thousands, £ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / $ $ / € $ / ¥ $ / £ $ / $ $ / $ $ / $	Mar. 05, 2019 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) $ / $ $ / € $ / ¥ $ / £ $ / $ $ / $ $ / $	Oct. 17, 2018 GBP (£)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 10,355,201
Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 857,211		$ 1,663,156
Interest rate basis spread	0.90%
Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 684,278		$ 1,528,592
Weighted-average interest rate	2.47%		2.57%
Interest rate basis spread	0.90%
Yen Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 172,933		$ 134,564
Weighted-average interest rate	0.50%		0.50%
Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 811,654
Early extinguishment charge	12,900
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	8,580,715
Revolving Credit Facility | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 857,211		$ 1,663,156
Weighted-average interest rate	2.07%		2.41%
U.S. dollar ($) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 290,000		$ 890,000
Weighted-average interest rate	3.39%		3.37%
British pound sterling (£) | Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £			1.28
British pound sterling (£) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0		$ 8,290
Weighted-average interest rate	0.00%		1.61%
British pound sterling (£) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £	1.30		1.28
Euro (€) | Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €	1.12		1.15
Euro (€) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 203,046		$ 451,800
Weighted-average interest rate	0.90%		0.90%
Australian dollar (AUD) | Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.71
Australian dollar (AUD) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 31,648		$ 27,632
Weighted-average interest rate	2.74%		2.82%
Australian dollar (AUD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.71		0.70
Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.13		0.13
Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 10,051		$ 8,797
Weighted-average interest rate	2.43%		3.14%
Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.13		0.13
Japanese yen (JPY) | Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / ¥	0.01		0.01
Japanese yen (JPY) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 4,059		$ 4,105
Weighted-average interest rate	0.90%		0.90%
Singapore dollar (SGD) | Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.74
Singapore dollar (SGD) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 77,680		$ 77,112
Weighted-average interest rate	2.83%		2.79%
Singapore dollar (SGD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.74		0.73
Canadian dollar (CAD) | Global revolving credit facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.75		0.73
Canadian dollar (CAD) | Global revolving credit facilities | Floating Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 67,794		$ 60,856
Weighted-average interest rate	2.81%		3.16%
Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.75		0.73
2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 811,654		$ 808,120
Weighted-average interest rate	3.05%		3.17%
Interest rate basis spread	0.00%
2023 and 2024 Term Loan | U.S. dollar ($) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 300,000		$ 300,000
Weighted-average interest rate	3.48%		3.46%
2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Australian dollar (AUD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 205,997		$ 204,632
Weighted-average interest rate	2.85%		2.94%
2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 84,995		$ 85,188
Weighted-average interest rate	2.55%		3.32%
2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 146,876		$ 146,080
Weighted-average interest rate	2.80%		2.76%
2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 73,786		$ 72,220
Weighted-average interest rate	2.98%		3.24%
3.750% notes due 2030 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 716,925		$ 510,160
Aggregate principal amount | £		£ 150.0		£ 400.0
Interest Rate Swap | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	2.56%		2.66%
Interest Rate Swap | U.S. dollar ($) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	2.44%		2.44%
Interest Rate Swap | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured Term Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	1.78%		1.78%