Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 1,603,635	$ 1,543,587	$ 1,489,999
Operating expenses:
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	117,653	116,741	118,571
Selling, general and administrative	114,760	110,945	96,728
Impairment of long-lived assets	747	9,473	9,820
Gain from sale of real estate, net	(7,471)	(43)	(11,598)
Total operating expenses	1,423,675	1,406,598	1,357,875
Operating income	179,960	136,989	132,124
Other (expense) income:
Loss from partially owned entities	(1,069)	(1,363)	(128)
Impairment of partially owned entities	0	(6,496)	0
Interest expense	(93,312)	(114,898)	(119,552)
Interest income	3,996	1,074	708
Loss on debt extinguishment, modifications and termination of derivative instruments	(47,559)	(986)	(1,437)
Foreign currency exchange gain (loss), net	2,882	(3,591)	464
Other expense, net	(532)	(1,944)	(1,368)
Income before income tax benefit (expense)	44,366	8,785	10,811
Income tax benefit (expense):
Current	467	(13,051)	(6,465)
Deferred	3,152	3,658	586
Total income tax benefit (expense)	3,619	(9,393)	(5,879)
Net income (loss)	47,985	(608)	4,932
Less distributions on preferred shares of beneficial interest - Series A	(1)	(16)	(16)
Less distributions on preferred shares of beneficial interest - Series B	(1,817)	(28,436)	(28,436)
Less accretion on preferred shares of beneficial interest – Series B	0	(867)	(936)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shares of beneficial interest	$ 46,167	$ (29,927)	$ (24,456)
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic (in shares)	141,415	70,022	69,890
Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted (in shares)	144,338	70,022	69,890
Net income (loss) per common share of beneficial interest - basic (in USD per share)	$ 0.31	$ (0.43)	$ (0.35)
Net income (loss) per common share of beneficial interest - diluted (in USD per share)	0.31	(0.43)	(0.35)
Distributions declared per common share of beneficial interest (in USD per share)	$ 0.74	$ 0.29	$ 0.29
Operating Segments
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 1,603,635	$ 1,543,587	$ 1,489,999
Operating expenses:
Operating income	405,649	374,105	345,645
Operating Segments | Rent, storage, and warehouse services revenues
Revenues:
Revenues	1,176,912	1,145,662	1,080,867
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	802,378	797,334	766,822
Operating income	374,534	348,328	314,045
Operating Segments | Third-party managed services
Revenues:
Revenues	259,034	242,189	252,411
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	244,274	229,364	237,597
Operating income	14,760	12,825	14,814
Operating Segments | Transportation services
Revenues:
Revenues	158,790	146,070	147,004
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	143,055	133,120	132,586
Operating income	15,735	12,950	14,418
Operating Segments | Other revenues
Revenues:
Revenues	8,899	9,666	9,717
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	8,279	9,664	7,349
Operating income	620	2	2,368
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P..
Revenues:
Revenues	1,603,635	1,543,587	1,489,999
Operating expenses:
Depreciation, depletion, and amortization	117,653	116,741	118,571
Selling, general and administrative	114,760	110,945	96,728
Impairment of long-lived assets	747	9,473	9,820
Gain from sale of real estate, net	(7,471)	(43)	(11,598)
Total operating expenses	1,423,675	1,406,598	1,357,875
Operating income	179,960	136,989	132,124
Other (expense) income:
Loss from partially owned entities	(1,069)	(1,363)	(128)
Impairment of partially owned entities	0	(6,496)	0
Interest expense	(93,312)	(114,898)	(119,552)
Interest income	3,996	1,074	708
Loss on debt extinguishment, modifications and termination of derivative instruments	(47,559)	(986)	(1,437)
Foreign currency exchange gain (loss), net	2,882	(3,591)	464
Other expense, net	(532)	(1,944)	(1,368)
Income before income tax benefit (expense)	44,366	8,785	10,811
Income tax benefit (expense):
Current	467	(13,051)	(6,465)
Deferred	3,152	3,658	586
Total income tax benefit (expense)	3,619	(9,393)	(5,879)
Net income (loss)	47,985	(608)	4,932
General partners' interest in net income (loss) attributable to unitholders	47,505	(602)	4,883
Limited partners' interest in net income (loss) attributable to unitholders	$ 480	$ (6)	$ 49
General partner units outstanding (in shares)	139,394	68,677	68,677
Limited partner units outstanding (in shares)	1,408	694	694
General partners' net income (loss) per unit (in USD per share)	$ 0.34	$ (0.01)	$ 0.07
Limited partners' net income (loss) per unit (in USD per share)	0.34	(0.01)	0.07
General partners' distributions declared per unit (in USD per share)	0.76	0.70	0.70
Limited partners' distributions declared per unit (in USD per share)	$ 0.76	$ 0.70	$ 0.70
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Rent, storage, and warehouse services revenues
Revenues:
Revenues	$ 1,176,912	$ 1,145,662	$ 1,080,867
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	802,378	797,334	766,822
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Third-party managed services
Revenues:
Revenues	259,034	242,189	252,411
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	244,274	229,364	237,597
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Transportation services
Revenues:
Revenues	158,790	146,070	147,004
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	143,055	133,120	132,586
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Other revenues
Revenues:
Revenues	8,899	9,666	9,717
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	$ 8,279	$ 9,664	$ 7,349