Debt of the Operating Partnership (Mortgage Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 304,987	$ 378,818
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Mortgage loans, including premiums	304,987	378,818
Unamortized net premiums	475
Total indebtedness	4,748,579	4,673,127
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized net premiums	475	582
Total indebtedness	$ 304,987	378,818
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 200 Paul Avenue
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	5.74%
Maturity Date	Oct. 08, 2015
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 0	68,665
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 2045 & 2055 Lafayette Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	5.93%
Maturity Date	Feb. 06, 2017
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 61,728	62,563
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 34551 Ardenwood Boulevard 1-4
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	5.95%
Maturity Date	Nov. 11, 2016
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 50,700	51,339
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 1100 Space Park Drive
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	5.89%
Maturity Date	Dec. 11, 2016
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 50,648	51,295
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 600 West Seventh Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	5.80%
Maturity Date	Mar. 15, 2016
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 46,466	47,825
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 150 South First Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	6.30%
Maturity Date	Feb. 06, 2017
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 48,699	49,316
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 2334 Lundy Place
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	5.96%
Maturity Date	Nov. 11, 2016
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 36,875	37,340
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 8025 North Interstate 35
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	4.09%
Maturity Date	Mar. 06, 2016
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 5,857	6,057
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Mortgage Loans \| 731 East Trade Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Rate at September 30, 2015	8.22%
Maturity Date	Jul. 01, 2020
Mortgage loans, including premiums	$ 3,539	$ 3,836

Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of debt premium that was originally recognized at the issuance of the instrument that has yet to be amortized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28541-108399

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedPremium
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecuredDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=dlr_DigitalRealtyTrustLPMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_MortgagesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_TwoHundredPaulAvenueOneThroughFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_TwoZeroFourFiveAndTwoZeroFiveFiveLafayetteStreetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_ThirtyFourThousandFiveHundredAndFiftyOneArdenwoodBoulevardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_ElevenHundredSpaceParkDriveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_SixHundredWestSeventhStreetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_OneHundredFiftySouthFirstStreetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_TwentyThreeThirtyFourLundyPlaceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_EightZeroTwoFiveNorthInterstateThirtyFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=dlr_SevenThirtyOneEastTradeStreetMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: