Ürümqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwestern China. With a census population of 4 million in 2020, Ürümqi is the second-largest city in China's northwestern interior after Xi'an, as well as the largest in Central Asia in terms of population. Ürümqi has seen significant economic development since the 1990s and currently serves as a regional transport node and a cultural, political and commercial center.
Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu province in northwestern China. Located on the banks of the Yellow River, it is a key regional transportation hub, connecting areas further west by rail to the eastern half of the country. Historically, it has been a major link on the Northern Silk Road and it stands to become a major hub on the New Eurasian Land Bridge. The city is also a center for heavy industry and petrochemical industry.
Hami or Kumul is a prefecture-level city in eastern Xinjiang, China. It is well known for sweet Hami melons. In early 2016, the former Hami county-level city merged with Hami Prefecture to form the Hami prefecture-level city with the county-level city becoming Yizhou District. Since the Han dynasty, Hami has been known for its production of agricultural products and raw resources.
The Lanzhou−Xinjiang railway or Lanxin railway, is the longest railway in Northwestern China. It runs 1904 kilometres from Lanzhou, Gansu, through the Hexi Corridor, to Ürümqi, in Xinjiang. It was Xinjiang's only rail link with the rest of China until the opening of the Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway in December 2014. The railway follows the path of the ancient Silk Road.
The Longhai railway, formerly romanized as the Lunghai railway, is a major arterial east–west railway in China. It runs from Lianyungang, Jiangsu, on the Yellow Sea to Lanzhou, Gansu, through the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Shaanxi, and Gansu, covering a total length of 1,759 kilometres (1,093 mi). The line is named after Gansu, also known as Long (陇) in Chinese and Lianyungang's previous name, Haizhou. The Longhai Line is one of the busiest Chinese railways. It has dual tracks throughout and electrification was completed in 2009.
The Jiayuguan–Ceke railway (嘉峪关-策克铁路) or Jiace railway (嘉策铁路) is a railway in northwestern China between Jiayuguan in Gansu Province and Ceke, a border post in Ejin Banner of Inner Mongolia on the China-Mongolian border. The railway is 460 km (286 mi) in length and was built from April 2004 to June 2007, and was financed by the Jiuquan Steel Company for its exclusive use to transport coal from Inner Mongolia and Mongolia. It is the longest railway financed by an enterprise in China. The line connects the Lanzhou-Xinjiang and the Linhe-Ceke railway. Planning is under way for a 50 km (31 mi) extension of the railway into Mongolia's Nariin Sukhait mining complex. In 2011 and 2012, the line carried, respectively, 1.21 and 1.17 million metric tons of coal.
The Baotou–Lanzhou railway, also known as the Baolan line is a 995 kilometres (618 mi) railway line that connects the cities of Baotou in Inner Mongolia to Lanzhou in Gansu Province. It began operating on 1 August 1958, making it the first Chinese railway through desert.
Ürümqi railway station is a railway station and a major transport hub for high-speed and conventional rail in Ürümqi, Xinjiang. The station was a small halt called Ergong before renovation.
Lanzhou West railway station is located in Qilihe District, Lanzhou, Gansu Province. It is served by the Longhai Railway, Lanzhou–Xinjiang Railway, Lanzhou–Ürümqi High-Speed Railway, Lanzhou–Zhongchuan Airport Intercity Railway and Baoji–Lanzhou High-Speed Railway. It is one of the city's principal railway stations.
Lanzhou railway station is a railway station located in Chengguan District, Lanzhou, Gansu Province along Huochezhan East Road (火车站东路). The station was established in October 1952, and is operated by China Railway Lanzhou Group. It handles both passenger and freight as a Class 1 station. It is served by Longhai railway, Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway and Baotou–Lanzhou railway.
Lanzhou–Chongqing railway or Lanyu railway is a higher-speed railway in China connecting Lanzhou and Chongqing. Construction started in 2010, last segment of the railway was opened for service in September 2017. The line allows trains to travel between Chongqing and Lanzhou, Gansu via Nanchong and Guangyuan, Sichuan.
Hami–Lop Nur railway or Haluo railway, is a railway in the eastern part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China between Hami and Lop Nur. The line is 374.83 km (233 mi) long and began commercial operation on November 29, 2012. Construction began in August 2010 and track laying was completed in late July 2012. The Lop Nur terminal of the line is near the industrial facility at 40.463608°N 90.864700°E.
Ejin–Hami railway or Eha railway, is a railway in western China between Ejin Banner in Alxa League of western Inner Mongolia and the city of Hami in the eastern part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The line runs 644 km (400 mi) through the deserts near the Mongolian border. Apart from Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, the line also crosses the Subei Mongol Autonomous County, the sliver of Gansu Province that extends to the Mongolian border. Construction began on June 30, 2014 and was slated to take three years, but the line opened only 17 months later on December 1, 2015. The opening of this rail line shortened the distance by rail from Hohhot, Inner Mongolia's capital, to destinations in Xinjiang and Kazakhstan by over 800 km.
Lanzhou–Zhongchuan Airport intercity railway is a regional higher-speed railway located in Gansu Province, connecting the Lanzhou urban area and Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport. As Zhongchuan Airport is quite distant from the urban area of Lanzhou, regular ground transport currently takes about an hour to make the journey and taxi journeys are expensive at around 150 to 200RMB, but with little to no time advantage over the airport bus service. Thus a higher-speed rail connection was initiated by the Lanzhou government in order to improve access to the airport, but also to the adjacent Lanzhou New Area special economic zone. The journey to the airport now takes from 30 to 40 minutes at a cost of 18.5RMB for Second Class and 22RMB for First Class.
The Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway, also known as Lanzhou–Xinjiang Passenger Railway or Lanxin Second Railway, is a high-speed railroad in Northwestern China from Lanzhou in Gansu Province to Ürümqi in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It forms part of what China designates the Eurasia Continental Bridge corridor, a domestic high-speed railway corridor running from the city of Lianyungang in Jiangsu to the Kazakh border. The line is also shared with conventional trains.
Zhangye West railway station is a railway station located in China's Gansu Province, Zhangye City, Ganzhou District. It was put into operation on December 26, 2014. It serves the Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway with High Speed services between Lanzhou and Urumqi and conventional services connecting Urumqi to various cities in Eastern and South Western China. It is the second railway station serving Zhangye, with Zhangye railway station which serves the conventional LanXin Railway.
Turpan North railway station is a railway station on the Lanzhou–Xinjiang high-speed railway, serving the city of Turpan in Xinjiang, China. The station is located about 10 km northwest from the city center, very close to the Turpan Jiaohe Airport.
Jiayuguan South railway station is a railway station located in Jiayuguan, Gansu Province, China. It was put into operation on December 26, 2014. It serves the Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway with High Speed services between Lanzhou and Urumqi and conventional services connecting Urumqi to various cities in Eastern and South Western China. It is the second major railway station serving Jiayuguan, with Jiayuguan railway station, which serves the conventional Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway.
The Turpan-Hami oil fields or the Tuha oil fields are the oil fields found in Turpan and Hami of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. They are one of Xinjiang's three largest oil fields, the other two being Jungar and Tarim.
