The invention relates to a method and apparatus for bending a glass panel. A heated flat glass panel (G) is fed from a furnace (1) onto a bending conveyor (4) while the bending conveyor (4) is in a straight configuration. The bending conveyor (4) and the glass panel are arched to a desired curvature while the glass panel travels along the bending conveyor (4). The bent glass panel is passed from the bending conveyor (4) onto a tempering conveyor (5) present as its extension, which has been previously arched to a desired curve as early as or even prior to having the flat glass panel received by the straight bending conveyor (4).