| Cover Page | Mar. 09, 2020 |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Document Type | 8-K/A |
| Document Period End Date | Mar. 9, 2020 |
| Entity File Number | 001-32336 |
| Entity Registrant Name | DIGITAL REALTY TRUST, INC. |
| Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code | MD |
| Entity Tax Identification Number | 26-0081711 |
| Entity Address, Address Line One | Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 3200 |
| Entity Address, City or Town | San Francisco |
| Entity Address, State or Province | CA |
| Entity Address, Postal Zip Code | 94111 |
| City Area Code | 415 |
| Local Phone Number | 738-6500 |
| Written Communications | false |
| Soliciting Material | false |
| Pre-commencement Tender Offer | false |
| Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer | false |
| Entity Emerging Growth Company | false |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0001297996 |
| Amendment Flag | true |
| Amendment Description | On March 13, 2020, Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (“DLR”) filed a Current Report on Form 8-K (the “Original Form 8-K”) to report the consummation of the transactions (the “InterXion Combination”) contemplated by that certain Purchase Agreement, dated as of October 29, 2019, as amended on January 23, 2020 (the “Purchase Agreement”), by and among DLR, Digital Intrepid Holding B.V. (formerly known as DN 39J 7A B.V.), a private limited liability company organized under the laws of the Netherlands and an indirect subsidiary of DLR (“Buyer”), and InterXion Holding N.V., a public limited liability company organized under the laws of the Netherlands (“INXN”) |
| Common Stock [Member] | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Title of 12(b) Security | Common Stock |
| Trading Symbol | DLR |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Series C Preferred Stock [Member] | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Title of 12(b) Security | Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock |
| Trading Symbol | DLR Pr C |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Series G Preferred Stock [Member] | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Title of 12(b) Security | Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock |
| Trading Symbol | DLR Pr G |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Series I Preferred Stock [Member] | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Title of 12(b) Security | Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock |
| Trading Symbol | DLR Pr I |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Series J Preferred Stock [Member] | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Title of 12(b) Security | Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock |
| Trading Symbol | DLR Pr J |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Series K Preferred Stock [Member] | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Title of 12(b) Security | Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock |
| Trading Symbol | DLR Pr K |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Series L Preferred Stock [Member] | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Title of 12(b) Security | Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock |
| Trading Symbol | DLR Pr L |
| Security Exchange Name | NYSE |
| Digital Realty Trust L.P. | |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Entity File Number | 000-54023 |
| Entity Registrant Name | DIGITAL REALTY TRUST, L.P. |
| Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code | MD |
| Entity Tax Identification Number | 20-2402955 |
| Entity Address, Address Line One | Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 3200 |
| Entity Address, City or Town | San Francisco |
| Entity Address, State or Province | CA |
| Entity Address, Postal Zip Code | 94111 |
| City Area Code | 415 |
| Local Phone Number | 738-6500 |
| Written Communications | false |
| Soliciting Material | false |
| Pre-commencement Tender Offer | false |
| Pre-commencement Issuer Tender Offer | false |
| Entity Emerging Growth Company | false |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0001494877 |
| Amendment Flag | true |
