Baotou–Lanzhou railway

					to Beijing–Baotou railway
				0 km	Baotou East
					Wanshuiquan
					to Baotou–Shenmu railway
				16 km	Baotou
					to Baotou–Bayan Obo railway

				25 km	Baotou West
					to Baotou Ring railway
					Dalahai
					Wulanji
				50 km	Haye Hutong
				62 km	Baiyanhua
				90 km	Gongmiaozi
				106 km	Malashan
				120 km	Urat Front Banner
				149 km	Xixiaozhao
				177 km	Wuyuan
				206 km	Sifentan
				234 km	Linhe District
				263 km	Toudaoqiao
				294 km	Bayan Gol
					Yellow River
				302 km	Hanggin Banner
				348 km	Jiangui
				363 km	Wuhai North
				377 km	Wuhai
					Yellow River
				403 km	Wuhai West
					entering Ningxia
				425 km	Huinong District
					to Pingru railway
					Shizuishan
					Xidatan
				514 km	Nuanquan
				527 km	Yinchuan
				554 km	Huangyangtan
				582 km	Daba
				593 km	Qingtongxia
				645 km	Zhongning County
				659 km	Huangyangwan
					to Baoji–Zhongwei railway & Taiyuan–Zhongwei–Yinchuan railway
					Zhenluobao
				689 km	Zhongwei
				707 km	Shapotou District
				761 km	Gantang
					to Gantang–Wuwei railway
				782 km	Yingpanshui
					entering Gansu
				810 km	Changcheng
				821 km	Jingtai County
				832 km	Xingquanbao
				874 km	Hongxiantai
				900 km	Hongshaxian
					to Honghui railway
				908 km	Baiyin West
				922 km	Zhujiayao
					to Zhujiayao–Zhongchuan railway
				930 km	Fengshuicun
				945 km	Gaolan County
				964 km	Shaojiatang
				972 km	Shuiyuan
					to Longhai railway

				990 km	Lanzhou East
				995 km	Lanzhou
					to Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway and Lanzhou–Qinghai railway

The Baotou–Lanzhou railway (simplified Chinese: 包兰铁路; traditional Chinese: 包蘭鐵路; pinyin: Bāolán tiělù), also known as the Baolan line (Chinese: 包兰线; pinyin: Bāolán xiàn) 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.^[1]

Cities

The railway passes through the following cities:

Inner Mongolia: Baotou (包头市), Bayan Nur (巴彦淖尔市), Wuhai (乌海市)
Ningxia: Shizuishan (石嘴山市), Yinchuan (银川市), Wuzhong (吴忠市), Zhongwei (中卫市)
Gansu: Baiyin (白银市), Lanzhou (兰州市)

Intersecting railways

The Baotou–Lanzou railway connects with eight other railways, most of them connecting in the city of Baotou. In Baotou, the Beijing–Baotou railway extends the line from the Baotou West railway station to Beijing. The Baotou–Shenmu railway leaves Baotou railway station and heads south towards Shenmu county in Shaanxi Province. After passing the Baotou West railway station, the Baotou Ring railway circles around the city and has stops at various stations in Baotou.

At Linhe District in Bayan Nur Municipality, the Linhe–Ceke railway, branches westward off Baotou–Lanzhou railway to Ceke in Alxa League.

In the Ningxia Autonomous Region, the line connects with three other railways. It connects to Pingluo–Rujigou railway near the Huinong District. The Baoji–Zhongwei railway and the Taiyuan–Zhongwei railway join the Baotou–Lanzhou railway at Zhongwei. Also at Gantang the line splits to form the Gantang–Wuwei railway

The railway finally connects with three other railways in Gansu Province. At the Bayin West railway station, the line meets with the Honghui railway, which connects it with Honghui. In Lanzhou, the railway intersects with the Longhai railway, both of which have their termini at Lanzhou. Then at the Lanzhou railway station, the line continues west as the Lanzhou–Xinjiang railway, to the Xinjiang Autonomous Region.