Thermo-forming packaging machine, comprising: a forming station with a forming tool for the formation of troughs in a lower film; an inserting track for filling the troughs with products; a sealing station with a sealing tool for closing the troughs with an upper film; a cutting station for separating the closed troughs; and a transport device that is designed to convey the lower film in a film transport surface along a transport direction from the forming station via the inserting track to the sealing station and further to the cutting station, wherein a) the film transport surface comprises between the forming station and the sealing station a first ascending area ascending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane, the rise of the first ascending area achieving that the film transport surface is elevated in relation to a side frame of a machine rack of the thermo-forming packaging machine, and comprises between the forming station and the sealing station a first descending area descending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane and arranged downstream of the first ascending area in relation to the transport direction, and/or b) the film transport surface comprises between the sealing station and the cutting station a second ascending area ascending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane, the rise of the second ascending area achieving that the film transport surface is elevated in relation to a side frame of a machine rack of the thermo-forming packaging machine, and comprises in relation to the transport direction after the cutting station a second descending area descending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane. a forming station with a forming tool for the formation of troughs in a lower film; an inserting track for filling the troughs with products; a sealing station with a sealing tool for closing the troughs with an upper film; a cutting station for separating the closed troughs; and a transport device that is designed to convey the lower film in a film transport surface along a transport direction from the forming station via the inserting track to the sealing station and further to the cutting station, wherein a) the film transport surface comprises between the forming station and the sealing station a first ascending area ascending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane, the rise of the first ascending area achieving that the film transport surface is elevated in relation to a side frame of a machine rack of the thermo-forming packaging machine, and comprises between the forming station and the sealing station a first descending area descending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane and arranged downstream of the first ascending area in relation to the transport direction, and/or b) the film transport surface comprises between the sealing station and the cutting station a second ascending area ascending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane, the rise of the second ascending area achieving that the film transport surface is elevated in relation to a side frame of a machine rack of the thermo-forming packaging machine, and comprises in relation to the transport direction after the cutting station a second descending area descending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane. a) the film transport surface comprises between the forming station and the sealing station a first ascending area ascending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane, the rise of the first ascending area achieving that the film transport surface is elevated in relation to a side frame of a machine rack of the thermo-forming packaging machine, and comprises between the forming station and the sealing station a first descending area descending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane and arranged downstream of the first ascending area in relation to the transport direction, and/or b) the film transport surface comprises between the sealing station and the cutting station a second ascending area ascending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane, the rise of the second ascending area achieving that the film transport surface is elevated in relation to a side frame of a machine rack of the thermo-forming packaging machine, and comprises in relation to the transport direction after the cutting station a second descending area descending along the transport direction in comparison to a horizontal plane.