A contact unit for a switching device, comprising: - a first and a second fixed contact (12, 13), - a contact bridge, - a first and a second movable contact (14, 15) that are arranged at the contact bridge, - a first, a second and a third arc extinguishing chamber (21, 22, 23), and - an arc guiding system, wherein the first fixed contact is in contact to the first movable contact and the second fixed contact is in contact to the second movable contact in a switched-on state of the contact unit, and wherein the first fixed contact is free of contact to the first movable contact and the second fixed contact is free of contact to the second movable contact in a switched-off state of the contact unit, and wherein the arc guiding system comprises a permanent magnet system which is configured to merely enclose the first and the second arc extinguishing chamber (21, 22) and the first fixed contact and the first movable contact are within an influence area of the permanent magnet system in the switched-on state and in the switched-off state of the contact unit, and the second fixed contact and the second movable contact are out of the influence area of the permanent magnet system in the switched-on state and in the switched-off state of the contact unit, such that the first and the second arc extinguishing chamber (21, 22) and the arc guiding system are configured in coordination with each other for extinguishing a first arc originating between the first fixed contact and the first movable contact depending on a current direction of a current flowing through the first fixed contact and the first movable contact and the third arc extinguishing chamber is configured for extinguishing a second arc originating between the second fixed contact and the second movable contact independent of a current direction of a current flowing through the second fixed contact and the second movable contact. - a first and a second fixed contact (12, 13), - a contact bridge, - a first and a second movable contact (14, 15) that are arranged at the contact bridge, - a first, a second and a third arc extinguishing chamber (21, 22, 23), and - an arc guiding system, wherein the first fixed contact is in contact to the first movable contact and the second fixed contact is in contact to the second movable contact in a switched-on state of the contact unit, and wherein the first fixed contact is free of contact to the first movable contact and the second fixed contact is free of contact to the second movable contact in a switched-off state of the contact unit, and wherein the arc guiding system comprises a permanent magnet system which is configured to merely enclose the first and the second arc extinguishing chamber (21, 22) and the first fixed contact and the first movable contact are within an influence area of the permanent magnet system in the switched-on state and in the switched-off state of the contact unit, and the second fixed contact and the second movable contact are out of the influence area of the permanent magnet system in the switched-on state and in the switched-off state of the contact unit, such that the first and the second arc extinguishing chamber (21, 22) and the arc guiding system are configured in coordination with each other for extinguishing a first arc originating between the first fixed contact and the first movable contact depending on a current direction of a current flowing through the first fixed contact and the first movable contact and the third arc extinguishing chamber is configured for extinguishing a second arc originating between the second fixed contact and the second movable contact independent of a current direction of a current flowing through the second fixed contact and the second movable contact.