Quarterly Financial Information (Digital Realty Trust, L.P.) (Summary Of Selected Quarterly Financial Data) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 787,463	$ 806,466	$ 800,797	$ 814,515	$ 778,267	$ 768,924	$ 754,919	$ 744,368	$ 3,209,241	$ 3,046,478	$ 2,457,928
Net income	349,326	67,574	61,324	120,997	52,597	90,264	88,159	110,095	599,221	341,115	256,267
Net income attributable to Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	336,284	66,497	60,168	116,812	51,559	87,597	85,463	106,627	579,761	331,246	248,259
Preferred stock dividends and issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock	(20,707)	(16,670)	(28,430)	(20,943)	(20,329)	(20,329)	(20,329)	(20,329)
Net income available to common stock/unitholders	$ 315,577	$ 49,827	$ 31,738	$ 95,869	$ 31,230	$ 67,268	$ 65,134	$ 86,298	$ 493,011	$ 249,930	$ 173,148
Basic (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.51	$ 0.24	$ 0.15	$ 0.46	$ 0.15	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.42	$ 2.37	$ 1.21	$ 0.99
Diluted (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.50	$ 0.24	$ 0.15	$ 0.46	$ 0.15	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.42	$ 2.35	$ 1.21	$ 0.99
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Quarterly Financial Information [Line Items]
Revenues	$ 787,463	$ 806,466	$ 800,797	$ 814,515	$ 778,267	$ 768,924	$ 754,919	$ 744,368	$ 3,209,241	$ 3,046,478	$ 2,457,928
Net income	349,326	67,574	61,324	120,997	52,597	90,264	88,159	110,095	599,221	341,115	256,267
Net income attributable to Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	349,384	68,797	61,568	121,112	52,859	90,297	88,163	110,107	600,861	341,426	252,029
Preferred stock dividends and issuance costs associated with redeemed preferred stock	(20,707)	(16,670)	(28,430)	(20,943)	(20,329)	(20,329)	(20,329)	(20,329)
Net income available to common stock/unitholders	$ 328,677	$ 52,127	$ 33,138	$ 100,169	$ 32,530	$ 69,968	$ 67,834	$ 89,778	$ 514,111	$ 260,110	$ 176,918
Basic (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.51	$ 0.24	$ 0.15	$ 0.46	$ 0.15	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.42	$ 2.37	$ 1.21	$ 0.99
Diluted (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.50	$ 0.24	$ 0.15	$ 0.46	$ 0.15	$ 0.33	$ 0.32	$ 0.42	$ 2.35	$ 1.21	$ 0.99