Quenching plate arrangement for a switching device with a multiplicity of quenching plates for splitting and/or lengthening an arc, and with at least one guiding plate, wherein the quenching plates are arranged substantially next to one another to form a stack and the guiding plate laterally delimits the stack, wherein the guiding plate protrudes beyond the quenching plates in a main direction of extent; and a switching device, suitable for DC operation, with at least a first contact and a second contact, wherein at least the second contact is movable in relation to the first contact, with a first running rail arrangement for conducting an arc with a first current direction and with a second running rail arrangement for conducting an arc with a second current direction, wherein the two running rail arrangements respectively have a first running rail and a second running rail, wherein the two first running rails run in opposite directions from the first contact and the two second running rails run in opposite directions from the second contact, and wherein the first running rails are connected to one another in an electrically conducting manner in the form of a closed loop, with such a quenching plate arrangement.