[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.

The new line will extend from Huangshengguan station to the northwest and enter Gannan via Zoige.

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