Brake device for braking a traveling body of an elevator system that can be moved in a guided manner along a guide rail in a movement direction, wherein the brake device comprises: a holder, a brake element, a pretensioning element and a release element, wherein the brake element has a brake surface which can be directed toward the guide rail and is held and mounted on the holder so that the brake element can be moved relative to the holder between a free-running position and a braking position, wherein the brake surface of the brake element can be spaced laterally apart from the guide rail in the free-running position and can be pressed laterally against the guide rail in the braking position, wherein the pretensioning element, in a deactivated configuration, does not exert a force on the brake element that moves the brake element toward the braking position and, in an activated configuration, exerts a force on the brake element that moves the brake element toward the braking position, wherein the release element, in the deactivated configuration, holds the pretensioning element in a holding state and, when the release element is activated into a released state, reconfigures the pretensioning element from the deactivated configuration into the activated configuration, characterised in that the braking device further comprises a contact pressure element, wherein the pressing element, in an unactuated state, does not generate a force on the brake element in a direction which can be oriented toward the guide rail and, in an actuated state, generates a force on the brake element in a direction which can be oriented toward the guide rail. a holder, a brake element, a pretensioning element and a release element, wherein the brake element has a brake surface which can be directed toward the guide rail and is held and mounted on the holder so that the brake element can be moved relative to the holder between a free-running position and a braking position, wherein the brake surface of the brake element can be spaced laterally apart from the guide rail in the free-running position and can be pressed laterally against the guide rail in the braking position, wherein the pretensioning element, in a deactivated configuration, does not exert a force on the brake element that moves the brake element toward the braking position and, in an activated configuration, exerts a force on the brake element that moves the brake element toward the braking position, wherein the release element, in the deactivated configuration, holds the pretensioning element in a holding state and, when the release element is activated into a released state, reconfigures the pretensioning element from the deactivated configuration into the activated configuration, characterised in that the braking device further comprises a contact pressure element, wherein the pressing element, in an unactuated state, does not generate a force on the brake element in a direction which can be oriented toward the guide rail and, in an actuated state, generates a force on the brake element in a direction which can be oriented toward the guide rail. wherein the brake element has a brake surface which can be directed toward the guide rail and is held and mounted on the holder so that the brake element can be moved relative to the holder between a free-running position and a braking position, wherein the brake surface of the brake element can be spaced laterally apart from the guide rail in the free-running position and can be pressed laterally against the guide rail in the braking position, wherein the pretensioning element, in a deactivated configuration, does not exert a force on the brake element that moves the brake element toward the braking position and, in an activated configuration, exerts a force on the brake element that moves the brake element toward the braking position, wherein the release element, in the deactivated configuration, holds the pretensioning element in a holding state and, when the release element is activated into a released state, reconfigures the pretensioning element from the deactivated configuration into the activated configuration, characterised in that the braking device further comprises a contact pressure element, wherein the pressing element, in an unactuated state, does not generate a force on the brake element in a direction which can be oriented toward the guide rail and, in an actuated state, generates a force on the brake element in a direction which can be oriented toward the guide rail.