Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues:
Revenues:	$ 1,783,705	$ 1,603,635	$ 1,543,587
Operating expenses:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	163,348	117,653	116,741
Selling, general and administrative	129,310	110,825	99,616
Acquisition, litigation and other	40,614	3,935	11,329
Impairment of long-lived assets	13,485	747	9,473
Loss (gain) from sale of real estate, net	34	(7,471)	(43)
Total operating expenses	1,652,239	1,423,675	1,406,598
Operating income	131,466	179,960	136,989
Other (expense) income:
Interest expense	(94,408)	(93,312)	(114,898)
Interest income	6,286	3,996	1,074
Bridge loan commitment fees	(2,665)	0	0
Loss on debt extinguishment, modifications and termination of derivative instruments	0	(47,559)	(986)
Foreign currency exchange gain (loss), net	(10)	(2,882)	3,591
Other expense, net	(1,870)	(532)	(1,944)
Loss from partially owned entities	(111)	(1,069)	(1,363)
Gain from sale of partially owned entities	4,297	0	0
Impairment of partially owned entities	0	0	(6,496)
Income before income tax benefit (expense)	43,005	44,366	8,785
Income tax benefit (expense):
Current	(5,544)	467	(13,051)
Deferred	10,701	3,152	3,658
Total income tax benefit (expense)	5,157	3,619	(9,393)
Net income (loss)	48,162	47,985	(608)
Less distributions on preferred shares of beneficial interest - Series A	0	(1)	(16)
Less distributions on preferred shares of beneficial interest - Series B	0	(1,817)	(28,436)
Less accretion on preferred shares of beneficial interest – Series B	0	0	(867)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shares of beneficial interest	$ 48,162	$ 46,167	$ (29,927)
Weighted average common shares outstanding – basic (in shares)	179,598	141,415	70,022
Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted (in shares)	183,950	144,338	70,022
Net income (loss) per common share of beneficial interest - basic (in USD per share)	$ 0.26	$ 0.31	$ (0.43)
Net income (loss) per common share of beneficial interest - diluted (in USD per share)	0.26	0.31	(0.43)
Distributions declared per common share of beneficial interest (in USD per share)	$ 0.82	$ 0.74	$ 0.29
Operating Segments
Revenues:
Revenues:	$ 1,783,705	$ 1,603,635	$ 1,543,587
Operating expenses:
Operating income	478,257	405,649	374,105
Operating Segments | Rent, storage and warehouse services
Revenues:
Revenues:	1,377,217	1,176,912	1,145,662
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	929,626	802,378	797,334
Operating income	447,591	374,534	348,328
Operating Segments | Third-party managed services
Revenues:
Revenues:	252,939	259,034	242,189
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	241,178	244,274	229,364
Operating income	11,761	14,760	12,825
Operating Segments | Transportation services
Revenues:
Revenues:	144,844	158,790	146,070
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	126,777	143,055	133,120
Operating income	18,067	15,735	12,950
Operating Segments | Other
Revenues:
Revenues:	8,705	8,899	9,666
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	7,867	8,279	9,664
Operating income	838	620	2
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P..
Revenues:
Revenues:	1,783,705	1,603,635	1,543,587
Operating expenses:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	163,348	117,653	116,741
Selling, general and administrative	129,310	110,825	99,616
Acquisition, litigation and other	40,614	3,935	11,329
Impairment of long-lived assets	13,485	747	9,473
Loss (gain) from sale of real estate, net	34	(7,471)	(43)
Total operating expenses	1,652,239	1,423,675	1,406,598
Operating income	131,466	179,960	136,989
Other (expense) income:
Interest expense	(94,408)	(93,312)	(114,898)
Interest income	6,286	3,996	1,074
Bridge loan commitment fees	(2,665)	0	0
Loss on debt extinguishment, modifications and termination of derivative instruments	0	(47,559)	(986)
Foreign currency exchange gain (loss), net	(10)	(2,882)	3,591
Other expense, net	(1,870)	(532)	(1,944)
Loss from partially owned entities	(111)	(1,069)	(1,363)
Gain from sale of partially owned entities	4,297	0	0
Impairment of partially owned entities	0	0	(6,496)
Income before income tax benefit (expense)	43,005	44,366	8,785
Income tax benefit (expense):
Current	(5,544)	467	(13,051)
Deferred	10,701	3,152	3,658
Total income tax benefit (expense)	5,157	3,619	(9,393)
Net income (loss)	48,162	47,985	(608)
General partners’ interest in net income (loss) attributable to unitholders	47,680	47,505	(602)
Limited partners’ interest in net income (loss) attributable to unitholders	$ 482	$ 480	$ (6)
General partner units outstanding (in shares)	177,180	139,394	68,677
Limited partner units outstanding (in shares)	1,790	1,408	694
General partners' net income (loss) per unit (in USD per share)	$ 0.27	$ 0.34	$ (0.01)
Limited partners' net income (loss) per unit (in USD per share)	0.27	0.34	(0.01)
General partners' distributions declared per unit (in USD per share)	0.82	0.76	0.70
Limited partners' distributions declared per unit (in USD per share)	$ 0.82	$ 0.76	$ 0.70
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Rent, storage and warehouse services
Revenues:
Revenues:	$ 1,377,217	$ 1,176,912	$ 1,145,662
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	929,626	802,378	797,334
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Third-party managed services
Revenues:
Revenues:	252,939	259,034	242,189
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	241,178	244,274	229,364
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Transportation services
Revenues:
Revenues:	144,844	158,790	146,070
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	126,777	143,055	133,120
Americold Realty Operating Partnership, L.P.. | Operating Segments | Other
Revenues:
Revenues:	8,705	8,899	9,666
Operating expenses:
Cost of operations	$ 7,867	$ 8,279	$ 9,664