Of all the ways to leave Portsmouth, the hovercraft is easily the most fun. The Hovertravel service skims across to Ryde on the Isle of Wight in about ten minutes, and this is how to ride it.
The world’s last scheduled hovercraft
Hovertravel began carrying passengers in 1965 and has never really stopped, which makes it the world’s oldest hovercraft operator and the only year-round scheduled passenger hovercraft service left anywhere. It is a genuine piece of British engineering history that happens to also be a useful commuter link.
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The current craft are two Griffon 12000TD hovercraft, in service since 2016, each seating 78 passengers. They are a long way from the rattly old machines of the 1970s, but the thrill of roaring up a concrete slipway and straight onto the sea has not changed a bit.
The route and the crossing
The service runs from the Southsea Hoverport on Clarence Esplanade, PO5 3AD, to the Ryde Transport Interchange on the Isle of Wight. The crossing takes about ten minutes, which makes it the fastest shore-to-shore route across the Solent, comfortably quicker than any ferry.
One key point: this is a foot-passenger and cyclist service only. You cannot bring a car, so it suits a day trip, a bike tour or an island commute rather than a family holiday with the boot full of luggage.
Fares and booking
Fares are tiered and change periodically, so treat these as a guide and check the current rates when you book. As a rough picture, an adult single is around £22 to £25, with a day return in the region of £30 to £34, and cheaper Advance fares if you book online in advance. There are concessions for children, students and seniors, and infants travel free.
| Ticket | Approximate fare |
|---|---|
| Adult single | Around £25 (Advance online from about £22.50) |
| Adult day return | Around £34 (Advance online from about £30.60) |
| Child (5 to 15) single | Around £12 |
| Student single | Around £21 |
| Senior single | Around £19 |
Book online at hovertravel.co.uk or through the Hovertravel app, where the Advance online fares are the cheapest option. At peak times there are roughly two departures an hour, but the timetable varies by day and season, so check before you set off.
Getting to the hoverport, and the Hoverbus
The Southsea terminal is a walk or short bus ride from the city centre. The handiest option is the Hoverbus, route H1, run by First Bus and timed to meet the hovercraft, which links the terminal with Portsmouth & Southsea station, The Hard and Portsmouth Harbour station, calling at Gunwharf Quays and the Historic Dockyard on the way. A single is around £2.10 and an all-day ticket about £5.40, and combined hovercraft-plus-bus tickets are available.
A few practical notes
The hovercraft often keeps running when rough weather halts conventional ferries, which is part of its appeal, though it can still be suspended in genuinely extreme conditions, so check the status on a stormy day. The Griffon craft have accessibility provisions, and anyone needing assisted boarding should contact Hovertravel in advance. From Ryde you step almost straight onto Island Line trains and local buses, so the island opens up the moment you land.
“It never stops feeling slightly absurd in the best way,” says one of our writers. “You queue up like it is a bus, and then you are flying across the sea to another island in the time it takes to drink a coffee.”
Absurd or not, it is one of the quickest and most memorable ways to reach the island. If you would rather weigh it against the car ferry and the catamaran, our full guide to the Portsmouth to Isle of Wight crossings compares all three on time and price.
