The invention is a device for the movement of ions from one location to another with high efficacy. The conduit consists of a tube or other shaped extended structure through with ions move in a gas from one location to another. The tube or the shaped conduit has an inner surface patterned with electrodes that allow for the application of voltages to create electric fields that serve to prevent ion contact (and thus loss) during transmission. The electrodes include at a minimum a set to which RF voltages of opposite polarity, each ideally extending along the total conduit (i.e. strips), with adjacent strips having opposite polarity so as to create a pseudo potential preventing ions over a significant m/z range from closely approaching the surface. (The RF voltages etc are similar to those that can be used in SLIM devices.) The conduit can also have a second set of electrodes to which dynamic voltages are applied to the electrodes to create electric traveling waves (TW) to help move ions through the conduit, although other mechanisms such as a pressure drop or voltage gradient can also be used to urge ions through the conduit. The conduit can be highly flexible, allowing bending, etc., and of any length and width needed. It can, e.g., be used to move ions from one instrumental platform to another, such as from a separate ion mobility separation device to a mass spectrometer (MS). The ions can be moved in the device either without separation or with continued separation be proper selection of TW parameters, and work over a range of gas pressures, ideally at sub ambient pressures. The ion conduit can function as a stand alone ion mobility separator if provided with a mechanic for ion introduction to one end. Ion movement can be assisted or impeded using gas flow, or the voltages provided to the TW electrodes.