The invention relates to a switching device comprising an encapsulation housing (1) filled with an insulating gas. A grounding contact (14) and a disconnection contact (15) are fixed in the interior of the housing. A displaceable contact element (9), which can be displaced along an axis (8) and can be engaged with at least one of the two contacts (14, 15), is likewise situated in the interior of the housing. A drive (13), which is guided through the wall of the housing (1) and is subjected to an external force, acts on the displaceable contact element (9). Said drive (13) comprises a retaining body (12) that can be displaced along the axis (8) and extends radially in a tubular conductor (11). The displaceable contact element (9) comprises at least one of two tubular contacts (9', 9 ) that can preferably be detachably connected to the retaining body (12). A first (9') of the two tubular contacts forms the counter-contact of the grounding electrode (E) that contains the grounding contact (14) and the second (9 ) of said contacts forms the counter-contact of a disconnector (T) that contains the disconnection contact (15). Said switching device can be easily converted by the addition or removal of the tubular contacts (9', 9 ), in such a way that it can perform a disconnection and grounding function, or only a disconnection or grounding function as required.