Debt Instrument, Covenant, Interest Coverage Ratio

No definition available.

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentCovenantInterestCoverageRatioRequiredMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Leverage Ratio Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentCovenantLeverageRatioPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Secured Leverage Ratio Allowable, Maximum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentCovenantSecuredLeverageRatioAllowableMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Debt Instrument, Covenant, Unencumbered Assets Relative to Aggregate Principal Amount of Unsecured Debt Required, Minimum

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dlr_DebtInstrumentCovenantUnencumberedAssetsRelativetoAggregatePrincipalAmountofUnsecuredDebtRequiredMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	dlr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: 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=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

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=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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

The effective interest rate at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

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 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash inflow from additional borrowings, net of cash paid to third parties in connection with debt origination.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromDebtNetOfIssuanceCosts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=dlr_EuroInterbankOfferedRateEURIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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

Debt of the Operating Partnership (Floating Rate Guaranteed Notes due 2019) (Narrative) (Details) - Digital Realty Trust, L.P. £ in Millions, $ in Millions				9 Months Ended
	Jul. 21, 2017 GBP (£)	May 22, 2017 USD ($)	May 22, 2017 EUR (€)	Sep. 30, 2017
Floating rate notes due 2019 \| Unsecured Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt face amount \| €			€ 125,000,000.0
Stated interest rate			0.169%
Net proceeds from offering		$ 140.1	€ 124,600,000
Floating rate notes due 2019 \| Unsecured Senior Notes \| EURIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread				0.50%
The GBP Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Covenant, unencumbered assets to unsecured debt				150.00%
The GBP Notes \| Unsecured Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net proceeds from offering \| £	£ 592.3
Covenant, leverage ratio percentage, required maximum				60.00%
Covenant, secured leverage ratio, allowable maximum				40.00%
Covenant, interest coverage ratio, required minimum				1.50