Device for vertically transporting stacks, in particular sacks, semi-finished sack products, tubular portions, or flat-lying sacks, the device having the following features: a transport device which has a plurality of revolving belt elements (21, 22, 23, 24) on which at least one flexible mat element is disposed; an infeed plane, in order for stacks to be infed to the mat element; a discharge plane, in order for stacks to be discharged from the mat element; a drive which has a multiplicity of gear elements (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) which are operatively connected to the belt elements (21, 22, 23, 24), in order for the mat element to be moved from the infeed plane to the discharge plane and back, the gear elements (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) being disposed in such a manner that a lifting zone and a transport zone are formed; wherein the lifting zone lies between the infeed plane and the discharge plane, wherein the mat element in the lifting zone offers a support face for the stack, which is substantially perpendicular to the movement direction of the mat element, and the support face of the mat element in the transport zone is parallel with the movement direction of the mat element; the drive in the infeed plane having a lower deflection roller pair (13, 14), and in the discharge plane an upper deflection roller pair (11, 12), characterized in that the drive in the discharge plane has at least one transfer roller which in the movement direction of the mat element is contiguous to the upper deflection roller pair (11, 12), wherein the upper deflection roller pair (11, 12) in terms of the diameter thereof in relation to the transfer roller is substantially enlarged. a transport device which has a plurality of revolving belt elements (21, 22, 23, 24) on which at least one flexible mat element is disposed; an infeed plane, in order for stacks to be infed to the mat element; a discharge plane, in order for stacks to be discharged from the mat element; a drive which has a multiplicity of gear elements (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) which are operatively connected to the belt elements (21, 22, 23, 24), in order for the mat element to be moved from the infeed plane to the discharge plane and back, the gear elements (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17) being disposed in such a manner that a lifting zone and a transport zone are formed; wherein the lifting zone lies between the infeed plane and the discharge plane, wherein the mat element in the lifting zone offers a support face for the stack, which is substantially perpendicular to the movement direction of the mat element, and the support face of the mat element in the transport zone is parallel with the movement direction of the mat element; the drive in the infeed plane having a lower deflection roller pair (13, 14), and in the discharge plane an upper deflection roller pair (11, 12), characterized in that the drive in the discharge plane has at least one transfer roller which in the movement direction of the mat element is contiguous to the upper deflection roller pair (11, 12), wherein the upper deflection roller pair (11, 12) in terms of the diameter thereof in relation to the transfer roller is substantially enlarged.