One of the advantages of being based in Lanzhou, is that China's 'remote' northwest is actually pretty close by.
Xīníng (西宁), capital of Qinghai Province, to Gansu's west, is around 3 hours away by train (50 yuan, soft seat).
We left on the 7.42am train, and by lunchtime had checked into our hostel.
We spent the afternoon at Tă'ĕr Sì (塔尔寺), the Tibetan monastery nearby, by taxi (45 yuan each way).