This research studied the relationships of indicators related to the selection of intercity train services in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province. The goal was to examine the characteristics of the intercity train services and the factors that influence choosing them. The research tool used to collect data consisted of 508 sets of questionnaires completed by samples who had used the intercity train service. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to investigate the service quality and customer satisfaction indicators affecting the selection of intercity train services. The study found that the service quality indicators included station, service, staff, and vehicle. The customer satisfaction indicators included station, service, travel promotions, and price satisfaction. However, when the service quality indicators were investigated, they had a direct positive effect on customer satisfaction at the 0.01 level of statistical significance. Passengers are most satisfied with obtaining travel information, such as train timetables, fares, and updated information. The involved agencies can use the study’s findings to determine policies and formulate plans for information management and intercity train service metrics.

JAIT is a scientific open access journal which focuses on empirical research results and critical analysis of technology development, use, management and impacts in information technology.

Rail passengers increasingly rely on information technology (IT) to plan their journeys, check timetables and safety information, purchase tickets, navigate stations, and connect with other modes of transport. This study develops and validates a multidimensional measure of railway information technology service quality (ITRS) and tests its relationship with passenger loyalty through the sequential mediating roles of perceived value and satisfaction, using data from 1190 intercity rail passengers in Thailand, divided into two independent samples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed a consistent seven-dimensional structure for the ITRS, and the structural equation model showed a good fit to the data (χ²(768) = 2290.67, CFI = 0.963, TLI = 0.961, RMSEA = 0.058, and SRMR = 0.051). The results indicate that nearly all the influence of ITRS on loyalty is indirect: passengers do not become loyal simply because digital services function well, but because these services first build perceived value and satisfaction, which, in turn, generates loyalty. Every mediating pathway tested was statistically significant, including the full sequential pathway from ITRS through perceived value and satisfaction to loyalty. These findings suggest that technically efficient digital investment alone may not generate long-term loyalty unless it enhances passengers’ perceived value and satisfaction.