Service quality assessment of international rail transport with multiple border crossings: Eurasian rail transport as an example

International rail transport plays an essential role in the supply chain. Eurasian rail transport has been a successful example since its launch in 2011 and has increased over the last decade. However, a crucial question arises: Does this intercontinental rail service fulfill the transport requirements of the supply chain, and can it be quantified? Cost, reliability, transport time, and flexibility are essential factors in selecting transport modes in the supply chain. Current performance parameters mainly focus on efficiency, which may conflict with supply chain performance requirements. Before this research, it was difficult to quantify the international rail services; the frequently used tonne-based, volume-based (TEU), number of block trains, loaded, or empty container measurement forms cannot adequately capture the requirements of the global supply chain. Our literature review highlighted the need for standardized service attributes in international rail transport. Additionally, we identified a misalignment between rail performance and the demands of the global supply chain. This misalignment could impede the integration of international rail transport into the global supply chain. This paper contributes by developing universally applicable SCOR-Rail Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for international rail transport based on the Supply-chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model. It bridges the measurement gap between the supply chain and international rail transport, giving railway companies a tool to design and monitor their services. They could also be easily integrated into rail planning for future research. Our initial assessment based on the proposed measurement framework revealed that Eurasian rail transport has the potential for improvement.