Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Deficit) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Series A	Series B	Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest Series A	Preferred Shares of Beneficial Interest Series A Series A	Common Shares of Beneficial Interest	Common Shares of Beneficial Interest Series B	Paid-in Capital	Paid-in Capital Series A	Paid-in Capital Series B	Accumulated Deficit and Distributions in Excess of Net Earnings	Accumulated Deficit and Distributions in Excess of Net Earnings Series A	Accumulated Deficit and Distributions in Excess of Net Earnings Series B	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income	Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P..	Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Loss) Income Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P..	Limited Partners' Capital Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P..	General Partners' Capital Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P..
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015				125		69,370,609
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ (109,979)			$ 0		$ 694		$ 387,091			$ (488,462)			$ (9,302)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Americold Realty Trust	4,932										4,932				$ 4,932		$ 49	$ 4,883
Dividends on preferred shares of beneficial interest		$ (16)	$ (28,436)									$ (16)	$ (28,436)
Distributions on common shares	(20,214)										(20,214)
Accretion on preferred shares of beneficial interest - Series B			(936)							$ (936)
Stock-based compensation expense (warrants)	3,900							3,900
Stock-based compensation expense (Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units)	2,536							2,536							6,436		64	6,372
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016	(149,455)			$ 0		$ 694		392,591			(532,196)			(10,544)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016				125		69,370,609
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2015															261,012	$ (9,302)	$ 2,703	$ 267,611
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015																	693,706	68,676,903
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	4,932										4,932				4,932		$ 49	$ 4,883
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,242)													(1,242)	(1,242)	(1,242)
Distributions to parent															(48,666)		(487)	(48,179)
Stock-based compensation expense	2,536							2,536							6,436		64	6,372
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016															222,472	(10,544)	$ 2,329	$ 230,687
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016																	693,706	68,676,903
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Americold Realty Trust	(608)										(608)				(608)		$ (6)	$ (602)
Dividends on preferred shares of beneficial interest		(16)	(28,436)									(16)	(28,436)
Distributions on common shares	(20,214)										(20,214)
Accretion on preferred shares of beneficial interest - Series B			(867)							(867)
Stock-based compensation expense (Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units)	2,358							2,358							2,358		24	2,334
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017	(186,924)			$ 0		$ 694		394,082			(581,470)			(230)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017				125		69,370,609
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(608)										(608)				(608)		(6)	(602)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	10,314													10,314	10,314	10,314
Distributions to parent															(48,666)		(487)	(48,179)
Stock-based compensation expense	2,358							2,358							2,358		24	2,334
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017															185,870	(230)	$ 1,860	$ 184,240
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017																	693,706	68,676,903
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to Americold Realty Trust	47,985										47,985				47,985		$ 480	$ 47,505
Redemption and distributions on preferred share of beneficial interest (in shares)					(125)
Redemption and distributions on preferred share of beneficial interest - Series A		$ (134)							$ (133)			$ (1)
Dividends on preferred shares of beneficial interest			(1,817)										$ (1,817)
Distributions on common shares	(104,976)										(104,976)
Stock-based compensation expense (Stock Options and Restricted Stock Units)	8,556							8,556							10,598		106	10,492
Stock-based compensation expense (modification of Restricted Stock Units)	2,042							2,042
Common stock issuance related to share-based payment plans, net of shares withheld for employee taxes (in shares)						1,847,274
Common stock issuance related to share-based payment plans, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	2,667					$ 18		2,649
Other	(1,281)							(422)			1,934			(2,793)	(1,281)	(2,793)	15	1,497
Warrants exercise	0					$ 64		(64)
Warrants exercise (in shares)						6,426,818
Issuance of common stock	577,338					$ 374		576,964
Issuance of common shares (in shares)						37,350,000
Conversion of mezzanine Series B Preferred shares			$ 372,791				$ 332			$ 372,459
Conversion of Series B Preferred shares (in shares)							33,240,258
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2018	706,755			$ 0		$ 1,482		1,356,133			(638,345)			(12,515)
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018				0		148,234,959
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	47,985										47,985				47,985		480	47,505
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(9,492)													(9,492)	(9,492)	(9,492)
Distributions to parent															(106,927)		(1,069)	(105,858)
Contributions to partners' capital															580,002		$ 5,800	$ 574,202
Contributions to partners' capital (in shares)																	788,644	78,075,706
Other	(1,281)							(422)			$ 1,934			$ (2,793)	(1,281)	(2,793)	$ 15	$ 1,497
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 8,556							$ 8,556							10,598		106	10,492
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2018															$ 706,755	$ (12,515)	$ 7,192	$ 712,078
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018																	1,482,350	146,752,609