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Legacy of hovercraft innovation
The story of how a British invention became everyday transport
Hovertravel is the world’s longest-running hovercraft operator. Since 1965, we have taken an extraordinary British invention and made it part of everyday life – connecting Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight in minutes.
Our story is inseparable from the story of the hovercraft itself: from early experimentation in the 1950s to becoming the only operator to sustain this technology as a reliable, year-round public transport service.
“It was not a question of whether it could be done, but whether anyone would believe it could be done.”
Sir Christopher Cockerell, Inventor of the hovercraft
Engineering in motion
Hovercraft are unlike any other form of transport – capable of travelling over both land and sea, unaffected by tides, and engineered for performance.
Whole many early hovercraft services around the world came and went, Hovertravel continued to refine, operate and believe in the technology – turning innovation into long-term reliability.
Our expertise lies in turning that complexity into something simple, fast and dependable for the people who rely on us.
What drives us
Safety
At the core of every operation, every decision, and every journey.
Reliability
Delivering a consistent, dependable service every day.
Innovation
Continuously improving how hovercraft operate and perform.