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.

Quick Facts Overview, Native name ...

Sichuan–Qinghai railway
Overview
Native name	川青铁路
Status	Partly operational (Chengdu East to Zhenjiangguan)
Locale	China
Termini	Chengdu East Zhenjiangguan 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  Chengdu–Dazhou railway to Chengdu Chengdu East  Chengdu–Dazhou railway to Dazhou Qingbaijiang East  Baoji–Chengdu railway to Chengdu Qingbaijiang  Baoji–Chengdu railway to Baoji Dawan Sanxingdui Shifang Mianzhu Anzhou Shiziyuan Maoxian Diexi Zhenjiangguan Songpan Jiuzhaihuanglong Huangshengguan Remoke Jiuzhaigou Baigusi Shangzhangwan Hezuo Linxia Yongjing  Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway to Xining Lanzhou West  Longhai railway to Lianyungang  Baotou–Lanzhou railway to Baotou

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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]

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.

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]

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 is expected to open in 2024. The entire railway line to be opened in 2026.^[6]