The Eurasian Rail Alliance Index (ERAI) was introduced for the first time exactly a year ago, at PRO//Dvizhenie.1520 Transport Logistics Forum in Sochi. It is a unique instrument that allows any market player to decide on the delivery mode by assessing the cost of transportation via the longest leg of the Trans-Eurasian Route.

Railroads play a crucial role in the Eurasian ITCs. Because of the speed and reliability of deliveries it provides, railway transportation is starting to compete with shipment by sea (advantage of speed) and air (advantage of cost). The competition with alternative routes has to be taken into account, whereas the strategy should be built around the available advantages of the existing routes and the complementary nature of others.