Income per Unit (Summary of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Net income available to common unitholders	$ 53,676	$ 31,738	$ 256,535	$ 127,607
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (units)	267,569,823	208,284,407	244,866,574	208,048,207
Potentially dilutive common units:
Unvested incentive units (units)	110,178	152,240	81,319	135,016
Unvested restricted stock	312,634		261,758
Forward equity offering (units)	2,246,171	825,098	1,845,832	537,980
Market performance-based awards (units)	505,602	173,827	520,531	173,091
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	270,744,408	209,435,572	247,576,014	208,894,294
Income per share:
Basic (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.20	$ 0.15	$ 1.05	$ 0.61
Diluted (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.20	$ 0.15	$ 1.04	$ 0.61
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Net income available to common unitholders	$ 55,076	$ 33,138	$ 265,735	$ 133,307
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (units)	275,544,524	217,346,153	252,995,033	217,193,571
Potentially dilutive common units:
Unvested incentive units (units)	110,178	152,240	81,319	135,016
Unvested restricted stock	312,634		261,758
Forward equity offering (units)	2,246,171	825,098	1,845,832	537,980
Market performance-based awards (units)	505,602	173,827	520,531	173,091
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	278,719,109	218,497,318	255,704,473	218,039,658
Income per share:
Basic (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.20	$ 0.15	$ 1.05	$ 0.61
Diluted (in dollars per unit)	$ 0.20	$ 0.15	$ 1.04	$ 0.61