CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CAPITAL (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (units)	208,900,758
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ 52,237	$ 136,009
Issuance of common units in connection with business combinations	6,975,252
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan	2,638	2,259
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	(4,318)
Issuance of preferred units, net of offering costs		203,423
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards	15,680	8,400
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(2,992)	(1,943)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions	39,476	28,219
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard		(6,318)
Net income	228,698	120,997
Net income (loss)	231,604	120,925
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(357,202)	30,880
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(11,838)	(3,775)
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	$ (558)	(2,094)
Ending balance (units)	263,595,562
Interest Rate Swap
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	$ (11,838)	(3,775)
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions	39,476	28,219
Net income (loss)	(63)	(115)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	10,608,100	10,858,210
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination	6,975,252
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs	6,505
Payment of offering costs		(375)
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan	2,638	2,259
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	(3,068)
Issuance of preferred units, net of offering costs		(203,423)
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards	14,430	8,400
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(2,992)	(1,943)
Distributions	(325,807)	(255,312)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of contributions	39,476	28,219
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard		(6,318)
Net income	228,698	120,997
Net income (loss)	231,604	120,925
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(357,202)	30,880
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(11,838)	(3,775)
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	(558)	(2,094)
Ending balance	17,176,540	10,982,499
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Interest Rate Swap
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(11,838)	(3,775)
Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	41,465	15,832
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	2,992	1,943
Distributions	(175)	(169)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of contributions	1,052
Net income (loss)	(2,906)	72
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(2,401)
Ending balance	40,027	17,678
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(91,409)	(120,393)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(357,202)	30,880
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	(558)	(2,094)
Ending balance	(461,007)	(95,382)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Interest Rate Swap
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(11,838)	(3,775)
Total Partners' Capital | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	10,587,475	10,765,154
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination	6,975,252
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs	6,505
Payment of offering costs		(375)
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan	2,638	2,259
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	(3,068)
Issuance of preferred units, net of offering costs		(203,423)
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards	14,430	8,400
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(2,992)	(1,943)
Distributions	(325,807)	(255,312)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard		(6,318)
Net income (loss)	231,667	121,040
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(357,202)	30,880
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	(558)	(2,094)
Ending balance	17,116,502	10,861,339
Total Partners' Capital | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Interest Rate Swap
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(11,838)	(3,775)
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	20,625	93,056
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of contributions	39,476	28,219
Net income (loss)	(63)	(115)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	0	0
Ending balance	60,038	121,160
General Partner | Preferred Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 1,434,420	$ 1,249,560
Beginning balance (units)	58,250,000	50,650,000
Issuance of preferred units, net of offering costs		$ (203,423)
Issuance of preferred units, net of offering costs (units)		(8,400,000)
Distributions	$ (21,155)	$ (20,329)
Net income (loss)	21,155	20,329
Ending balance	$ 1,434,420	$ 1,452,983
Ending balance (units)	58,250,000	59,050,000
General Partner | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 8,532,814	$ 8,724,731
Beginning balance (units)	208,900,758	206,425,656
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ 52,237	$ 136,009
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)	592,953	1,517,876
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination	$ 6,975,252
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination (in shares)	54,298,595
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (units)		245,373
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs	$ 6,505
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs (in units)	50,000
Payment of offering costs		$ (375)
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan	$ 2,638	$ 2,259
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan (units)	25,234	25,234
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	$ (3,068)
Issuance of preferred units, net of offering costs (units)		0
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards	14,430	$ 8,400
Reclassification of vested share-based awards	(15,007)	(7,320)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(2,992)	(1,943)
Distributions	(295,630)	(224,802)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard		(6,318)
Net income (loss)	202,859	96,483
Ending balance	$ 15,470,038	$ 8,727,124
Ending balance (units)	263,595,562	208,214,139
Limited Partners | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 711,650	$ 911,256
Beginning balance (units)	8,843,155	10,580,884
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ (52,237)	$ (136,009)
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)	(592,953)	(1,517,876)
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)	223,184	410,451
Reclassification of vested share-based awards	$ 15,007	$ 7,320
Distributions	(9,022)	(10,181)
Net income (loss)	7,653	4,228
Ending balance	$ 673,051	$ 776,614
Ending balance (units)	8,473,386	9,473,459