Income per Unit (Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings per Share) (Details) - shares	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	12,245,217	15,918,646		11,487,387	16,450,571
Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	329,709	0	0	109,903
Potentially dilutive Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	0	2,488,354		0	2,880,254
Potentially dilutive Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	0	1,925,208		617,734	1,942,351
Series G Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,193,331	2,632,407		2,262,875	2,655,847
Series H Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	3,214,098	3,857,518		3,316,008	3,891,866
Series I Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,195,898	2,635,488		2,265,524	2,658,955
Potentially dilutive Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	1,045,730	0		348,577	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	8,978,766	13,538,975		8,920,621	14,029,273
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	329,709	0	0	109,903
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	0	2,488,354		0	2,880,254
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series F Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	0	1,925,208		617,734	1,942,351
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series G Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,193,331	2,632,407		2,262,875	2,655,847
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series H Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	3,214,098	3,857,518		3,316,008	3,891,866
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series I Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	2,195,898	2,635,488		2,265,524	2,658,955
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Potentially dilutive Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (units)	1,045,730	0		348,577	0