Trains between Qinghai and Chengdu nowadays utilize the
Lanzhou–Chongqing railway, switching over to the
Xi'an–Chengdu high-speed railway at
Guangyuan. 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. A branch will extend from Hezuo to Xining, providing a more direct route between Xining and Chengdu. ==Stations==