The invention relates to a tap changer of the load switch type for switching between winding taps of a step transformer without interruption, wherein fixed tap contacts (8) are arranged at separate levels in the wall of a cylinder (7) made of insulating material for each phase to be selected, which fixed tap contacts (8) can be connected by movable contacts (3, 4, 5) arranged on a contact carrier (2), the movable contacts acting as transition contacts (3, 4) or switching contact (5). The transition contacts (3, 4) and the switching contact (5) are designed as transition contact rollers (3, 4) and a switching contact roller (5), wherein the transition contact rollers (3, 4) are supported on the contact carrier in a first horizontal plane and the switching contact roller (5) is supported on the contact carrier in an additional horizontal plane. The fixed tap contacts (8) extend vertically to such an extent that they can be connected by the contact rollers (3, 4, 5) in both planes.