Sichuan–Qinghai railway

Sichuan–Qinghai railway (Chinese: 川青铁路; pinyin: Chuān–Qīng tiělù),^[1][2] formerly known as Chengdu–Lanzhou railway during planning and construction, is a railway line under construction in China. The railway connects Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan with Xining, capital of Qinghai, with a branch connecting Chengdu to Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu. It forms part of the Lanzhou (Xining)–Guangzhou corridor, part of China's "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" network.

Sichuan–Qinghai railway
Huanglongjiuzhai railway station, 2024
Overview
Native name	川青铁路
Status	Partly operational (Chengdu East to Huangshengguan)
Locale	China
Termini	Chengdu East Huangshengguan Future: Xining (main) & Lanzhou West (branch)
Service
Operator(s)	China Railway Chengdu Group & China Railway Lanzhou Group
Technical
Line length	730.549 km (454 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Operating speed	200 km/h (124 mph) (160 km/h (99 mph) between Lanzhou and Guangyuan)
Route map Legend ( Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway to Ürümqi) Xining Haidong West ( Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway to Lanzhou West) Liuwan Hualong Jianzha Tongren Ganjia Xiahe ( Lanzhou–Hezuo railway to Lanzhou West) Tangga'ang Hezuo Luqu Langmusi Huahu Axi Ruo'ergai Banyou Hongyuan Huangshengguan Huanglongjiuzhai Songpan Zhenjiangguan Diexi Shidaguan Maoxian Gaochuan Anzhou Mianzhu South Shifang West Sanxingdui ( Baoji–Chengdu railway to Baoji) ( Baoji–Chengdu railway to Chengdu) ( Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway to Xi'an North) Qingbaijiang East Xindu East ( Suining–Chengdu railway to Suining) Chengdu East ( Chengdu–Guiyang high-speed railway to Guiyang East)

The line was planned and approved in the aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, in order to improve future transportation in the affected area, through which the line will pass directly.^[3]

Profile

The Chengdu–Lanzhou railway has a length of 730.549 kilometres (453.942 mi), of which 462 km (287 mi) is new trackage. It is being built as a double-track electrified railway, at the national railway line class I level. It will have an overall design speed of 200 km/h (124 mph); however, the Chengdu-Jiuzhaigou section will have a reduced speed of 174 km/h (108 mph) in some sections, due to the difficult and mountainous terrain. The total investment is expected to be 61.939 billion yuan.

After the completion of the railway, the distance between Lanzhou and Chengdu will be shortened from 1,172 km (728 mi) to 730 km (450 mi). Run time for train services will be reduced to about 5 hours.

Route

Trains between Qinghai and Chengdu nowadays utilize the Lanzhou–Chongqing railway, switching over to the Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway at Guangyuan.^[4]

The new Chengdu–Lanzhou railway will head north from the urban area of Chengdu, through Qingbaijiang, Shifang, Mianzhu, Anzhou, and tunnelling through Longmen Mountain to Maoxian, tracing along the Minjiang River valley and on through Chuanzhusi to Jiuzhaigou County. Crossing into the territory of Gansu, across the Bailong River, it joins the Lanzhou-Chongqing HSR at Hadapu, using that railway line to the terminus at Lanzhou West station.

In the early design plan, the railway will pass through Minshan Mountain after Chuanzhusi station, enter Gansu, cross the Bailong River, and connect with the Lanzhou-Chongqing railway at Hadapu station, and share the same line with the Lanzhou-Chongqing railway to the end of Lanzhou East station. In subsequent adjustments, the route north of Huangshengguan station was changed to an integrated design with Chengdu-Xining railway and no longer connected to the Lanzhou-Chongqing railway. The new line will extend from Huangshengguan station to the northwest and enter Gannan via Zoige. It will connect with the Lanzhou-Hezuo railway in Hezuo City. It will then enter Lanzhou via Gannan and Linxia.^[5]

A branch will extend from Hezuo to Xining, providing a more direct route between Xining and Chengdu.^[6]

Stations

Main

Station Name	Chinese	China Railway & Metro transfers/connections
Xining	西宁
Haidong West	海东西
Hualong	化隆
Jianzha	尖扎
Tongren	同仁
Ganjia	甘加
Xiahe	夏河
Hezuo	合作	Branch line
Luqu	碌曲
Langmusi	郎木寺
Huahu	花湖
Axi	阿西
Ruoergai	若尔盖
Banyou	班佑
Hongyuan	红原
Huangshengguan[2]	黄胜关	Opened on 30 August 2024.
Huanglongjiuzhai[2]	黄龙九寨	Opened on 30 August 2024.
Songpan[2]	松潘	Opened on 30 August 2024.
Zhenjiangguan[2]	镇江关
Diexi[2]	叠溪
Shidaguan[2]	石大关
Maoxian[2]	茂县
Gaochuan[2]	高川
Anzhou[2]	安州
Mianzhu South[2]	绵竹南
Shifang West[2]	什邡西
Sanxingdui[2]	三星堆
Qingbaijiang[2]	青白江
Chengdu East	成都东	2   7

Branch

Station Name	Chinese	China Railway & Metro transfers/connections
Lanzhou West	兰州西
Xigucheng	西固城
Liujiaxia	刘家峡
Linxia	临夏
Shuangcheng	双城
Hezuo	合作	Main line

History

Chengdu–Lanzhou railway planning map

Construction on the railway started on 26 February 2011 in Songpan County, Sichuan.^[7]

The section from Chengdu East to Zhenjiangguan opened in November 2023. The three-station extension from Zhenjiangguan to Huangshengguan opened in 2024. The entire railway line to be opened in 2026.^[6]