A double-contact switch comprising - a first and a second tubular vacuum switching chamber , which are designed as partial switching chambers of a switching tube , - an electrode , which is stationary in the switching tube, is arranged between the first and second vacuum switching chambers, and comprises a first fixed contact projecting into the first vacuum switching chamber and a second fixed contact projecting into the second vacuum switching chamber , - a first electrode , which is arranged in the first vacuum switching chamber , is movable therein in the axial direction, and comprises a region, which carries a contact and is sealed off in a gas-tight manner from the exterior of the first vacuum switching chamber , - a second electrode , which is arranged in the second vacuum switching chamber , is movable therein in the axial direction, and comprises a region, which carries a contact and is sealed off in a gas-tight manner from the exterior of the second vacuum switching chamber , characterized in that - the gas-tight sealing-off device (13`; 13") of the region, carrying the contact , of the first electrode is designed to be different from the gas-tight sealing-off device (33`; 33") of the region, carrying the contact , of the second electrode in such a way that the opening of the first fixed contact and of the contact of the first electrode and the opening of the second fixed contact and of the contact of the second electrode take place at staggered times, wherein the gas-tight sealing-off devices (13`; 33`; 13", 33") are designed to be different with regard to their material properties and/or shape, and the different design causes the time-staggered opening of the contacts during a movement of one of the electrodes with a switching drive while the other electrode is stationary. - a first and a second tubular vacuum switching chamber , which are designed as partial switching chambers of a switching tube , - an electrode , which is stationary in the switching tube, is arranged between the first and second vacuum switching chambers, and comprises a first fixed contact projecting into the first vacuum switching chamber and a second fixed contact projecting into the second vacuum switching chamber , - a first electrode , which is arranged in the first vacuum switching chamber , is movable therein in the axial direction, and comprises a region, which carries a contact and is sealed off in a gas-tight manner from the exterior of the first vacuum switching chamber , - a second electrode , which is arranged in the second vacuum switching chamber , is movable therein in the axial direction, and comprises a region, which carries a contact and is sealed off in a gas-tight manner from the exterior of the second vacuum switching chamber , characterized in that - the gas-tight sealing-off device (13`; 13") of the region, carrying the contact , of the first electrode is designed to be different from the gas-tight sealing-off device (33`; 33") of the region, carrying the contact , of the second electrode in such a way that the opening of the first fixed contact and of the contact of the first electrode and the opening of the second fixed contact and of the contact of the second electrode take place at staggered times, wherein the gas-tight sealing-off devices (13`; 33`; 13", 33") are designed to be different with regard to their material properties and/or shape, and the different design causes the time-staggered opening of the contacts during a movement of one of the electrodes with a switching drive while the other electrode is stationary. <EOS>