Assessing the Development of Uzbekistan's Railway Transport Network: An Integrated SEM–IPA Approach.

Railway transportation is essential for sustainable mobility, regional connectivity, and economic development, particularly in doubly landlocked countries where efficient transport networks are critical for national and international connectivity. As Uzbekistan continues to modernize and expand its railway system, evaluating service quality from the passenger perspective has become increasingly important for improving service delivery and supporting sustainable railway development. This study examines the development of Uzbekistan’s railway transport network by evaluating passenger service quality using an integrated framework combining the European Standard EN 13816, Importance–Performance Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling. The study aims to identify key service quality dimensions, determine priority areas for improvement, and examine the relationships between service quality, passenger satisfaction, and recommendation intention. The findings indicate that operational service quality, particularly security, availability, punctuality, information, and comfort, plays a crucial role in shaping passengers’ perceptions of railway services. The results further show that actual service performance has a significant positive influence on passenger satisfaction, whereas perceived importance alone does not directly affect satisfaction. In turn, passenger satisfaction strongly enhances recommendation intention. The study also identifies operational attributes that require further managerial attention while highlighting existing service strengths that should be maintained. The findings also offer practical guidance for railway operators and policymakers by identifying the service dimensions that should be prioritized to improve passenger satisfaction, strengthen recommendation intention, and support the sustainable development of Uzbekistan’s railway transport network.

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