Recently, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) and the provincial government jointly approved the feasibility study for the Wuwei–Zhangye section of the Lanzhou–Zhangye No. 3 and No. 4 Lines Railway (hereinafter referred to as the "Lanzhou–Zhangye No. 3 and No. 4 Lines Wuwei–Zhangye Section"), laying an important foundation for the project to commence construction within the year.

The Lanzhou–Zhangye No. 3 and No. 4 Lines Wuwei–Zhangye Section is an important component of the Eurasian Continental Bridge Corridor of the national "Eight Vertical and Eight Horizontal" high-speed railway network and the rapid passenger transport corridor of the Silk Road Economic Belt, and is also an important east-west trunk line from the Northwest to the central and eastern regions.

The project's construction plays an important role in deepening the Belt and Road Initiative and forming a high-capacity passenger transport corridor from the Northwest to the central and eastern regions; at the same time, it can effectively release the freight capacity of the existing Lanzhou–Xinjiang Railway, better serve the outward transport of Xinjiang coal, and safeguard national energy security.

The approved feasibility study provides for the construction of a 244-kilometer main line and 12.6 kilometers of connecting lines for the new Wuwei–Zhangye Section. The line starts from the planned Wuwei East Station, runs westward through Liangzhou District of Wuwei City, Yongchang County and Jinchuan District of Jinchang City, and Shandan County and Ganzhou District of Zhangye City, and connects to Zhangye West Station of the Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway, built to the standards of a National Railway Class I, double-track, 250 km/h line.

Wuwei East Station

Total project investment26.74 billion yuanwith a construction period of 3 years, built jointly by China Railway and our province.

Next, the Provincial Development and Reform Commission will continue to strengthen coordination, guidance, and follow-up, and, together with relevant departments and units and local governments along the line, strive to obtain China Railway's approval of the preliminary design and construction drawings as soon as possible, ensuring that the project fully commences construction within the year.‍

Further reading:

The Wuwei–Zhangye Section of the Lanzhou–Zhangye High-Speed Railway has been included in China Railway's 2024 plan for key railway projects to commence construction.

According to the feasibility study scheme, the line starts from Wuwei East Station of the Zhongchuan–Wuwei Section under construction, crosses the Golden Avenue and Jinwu Expressway to the north, crosses the Beihe River into Jinchang City, and passes through Zhuwangbao Town where a station is set;

it extends northward to Xiwang Village of Ningyuanbao Town where Jinchang South Station is set; after leaving the station, it runs westward through Dongda Mountain and crosses the Lanzhou–Xinjiang Line to Jiling, then descends alongside the existing Lanzhou–Xinjiang Line, passes through Shandan County where a new Shandan North Station is set on the north side of the county seat, turns west through Dongle Township, bypasses the Shanyangbaotan tomb complex, and connects to Zhangye West Station of the Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway.

The project starts in the east from Lanzhou West Station of the Lanzhou railway hub and connects in the west with the Lanzhou–Xinjiang Second Double-Track Line. It is an important component of the regional high-speed railway network, important transport infrastructure for passenger exchange between the Wuwei, Jinchang, and Zhangye urban agglomerations and the Lanzhou area, and an important corridor linking the Hexi Corridor Economic Belt and the Xinjiang region with the interior.

The Lanzhou–Zhangye No. 3 and No. 4 Lines Railway is built in two sections: the Zhongchuan Airport–Wuwei Section and the Wuwei–Zhangye Section. At present, the Zhongchuan Airport–Wuwei Section has entered the trial operation stage and is scheduled to be put into operation at the end of June this year.

Schematic diagram of the Lanzhou–Zhangye High-Speed Railway alignment and station locations‍