The invention relates to a brake lining for a partially lined disc brake of a rail vehicle, having a lining support (2) and multiple group elements (4, 4') arranged on the lining support (2). Each of the group elements (4) consists of a support plate (5) and multiple lining elements (41, 42) arranged on the support plate (5), and lining elements (41, 42) with at least two friction surfaces (A
1 , A
2 ) of differing sizes are arranged on each support plate (5). The lining elements (41, 42) are arranged such that their total surface area at least approximates a ring sector, and at least two different first and second group elements (4, 4') are arranged on the lining support (2). For the first group elements (4), the number of lining elements (41) with larger friction surfaces (A
1 ) is greater than the number of lining elements (42) with smaller friction surfaces (A
2 ), and for the second group elements (4') the number of lining elements (41) with larger friction surfaces (A
1 ) is less than the number of lining elements (42) with smaller friction surfaces (A2). The first group elements (4) are arranged farther outwards on the lining support (2) radially to the central point of an imaginary circle containing the ring sector than the second group elements (4'). The invention further relates to the arrangement of a brake lining (1) for a partially lined disc brake of a rail vehicle on a lining holder (6) of a partially lined disc brake of a rail vehicle and to a method for actuating a brake lining (1) held on a lining holder (2) of a brake disc arrangement of a rail vehicle for a partially lined disc brake of a rail vehicle.