The “ion surfing” method proposed earlier [G. Bollen, Int. J Mass Spectrom. 299 (2011) 131] for transporting ions in helium buffer gas has been demonstrated experimentally through detailed measurements with rubidium and potassium ions. These elements were found to be efficiently transported over distances of up to 40cm in gas pressures reaching 200mbar. Transport speeds as high as 75m/s were reached for rubidium ions at a gas pressure of 80mbar. The measured ion speed and transport efficiencies are found to be in good agreement with results from detailed ion transport simulations. This study validates “ion surfing” as a viable transport method for ions in gas that will benefit future devices for the thermalization of energetic ion beams.