Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 110,095	$ 84,563
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
(Gain) loss on sale of properties	(39,273)	522
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(7,410)	(5,324)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	5,270	4,448
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	431	0
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	186,431	131,807
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	108,358	44,659
Amortization of share-based compensation	5,872	4,064
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps	301	301
Recovery of doubtful accounts	(494)	(1,310)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,060	2,443
Amortization of debt discount/premium	851	674
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net	6,660	(2,026)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables	(30,250)	9,455
Deferred rent	(10,454)	(4,033)
Deferred leasing costs	(4,613)	(1,898)
Other assets	(1,750)	(13,040)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(83,206)	(38,421)
Security deposits and prepaid rents	(12,889)	2,182
Net cash provided by operating activities	236,990	219,066
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	0	(13,585)
Proceeds from sale of properties, net of sales costs	137,175	0
Excess proceeds from forward contracts	0	51,308
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	(81)	(5,749)
Prepaid construction costs and other investments	(26,602)	0
Improvements to investments in real estate	(289,840)	(254,359)
Improvement advances to tenants	(11,627)	(5,073)
Collection of improvement advances to tenants	13,691	11,890
Net cash used in investing activities	(177,284)	(215,568)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facility	579,685	715,524
Repayments on global revolving credit facility	(183,467)	(358,219)
Repayments on unsecured notes	0	(50,000)
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(192)	(132)
Payment of loan fees and costs	(294)	(144)
Capital distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net	62	(146)
Taxes paid related to net settlement of stock-based compensation awards	(4,718)	0
Proceeds from common and preferred stock offerings, net	(12)	118
Proceeds from equity plans	2,509	2,606
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(20,329)	(17,393)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common stockholders/unitholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(416,458)	(295,105)
Net cash used in financing activities	(43,214)	(2,891)
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	16,492	607
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	27	2,754
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	13,181	22,036
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	29,700	25,397
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	78,728	53,819
Cash paid for income taxes	4,272	3,569
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	(3,743)	16,578
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign currency hedges	8,616	(4,364)
Acquisition measurement period adjustment to goodwill and accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	0	2,162
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock	15,201	2,744
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	177,812	138,162
Addition to leasehold improvements pursuant to capital lease obligation	73,873	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	110,095	84,563
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
(Gain) loss on sale of properties	(39,273)	522
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(7,410)	(5,324)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	5,270	4,448
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	431	0
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	186,431	131,807
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	108,358	44,659
Amortization of share-based compensation	5,872	4,064
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps	301	301
Recovery of doubtful accounts	(494)	(1,310)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	3,060	2,443
Amortization of debt discount/premium	851	674
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net	6,660	(2,026)
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables	(30,250)	9,455
Deferred rent	(10,454)	(4,033)
Deferred leasing costs	(4,613)	(1,898)
Other assets	(1,750)	(13,040)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(83,206)	(38,421)
Security deposits and prepaid rents	(12,889)	2,182
Net cash provided by operating activities	236,990	219,066
Cash flows from investing activities:
Acquisitions of real estate	0	(13,585)
Proceeds from sale of properties, net of sales costs	137,175	0
Excess proceeds from forward contracts	0	51,308
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	(81)	(5,749)
Prepaid construction costs and other investments	(26,602)	0
Improvements to investments in real estate	(289,840)	(254,359)
Improvement advances to tenants	(11,627)	(5,073)
Collection of improvement advances to tenants	13,691	11,890
Net cash used in investing activities	(177,284)	(215,568)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facility	579,685	715,524
Repayments on global revolving credit facility	(183,467)	(358,219)
Repayments on unsecured notes	0	(50,000)
Borrowings on mortgage loans	(192)	(132)
Payment of loan fees and costs	(294)	(144)
Capital distributions paid to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net	62	(146)
Taxes paid related to net settlement of stock-based compensation awards	(4,718)	0
General partner contributions, net	2,497	2,724
Payment of dividends/distributions to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(20,329)	(17,393)
Payment of dividends/distributions to common stockholders/unitholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership	(416,458)	(295,105)
Net cash used in financing activities	(43,214)	(2,891)
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	16,492	607
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	27	2,754
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	13,181	22,036
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	29,700	25,397
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	78,728	53,819
Cash paid for income taxes	4,272	3,569
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	(3,743)	16,578
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign currency hedges	8,616	(4,364)
Acquisition measurement period adjustment to goodwill and accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	0	2,162
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	177,812	138,162
Addition to leasehold improvements pursuant to capital lease obligation	73,873	$ 0
Parent
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 106,627