Method for data transmission within an industrial communication network, wherein selected datagrams are transmitted within predetermined time intervals, which are synchronized at all network nodes, where a number of network nodes from the respective source network node to the respective target network node is determined for forwarding the selected datagrams in each case, and where the selected datagrams are transmitted during first periodic time intervals having a first protection interval length in the event of a determined number of network nodes corresponding to at least one predefined threshold value and, in contrast thereto, if a determined number lies below the threshold value, then the selected datagrams are transmitted during second periodic time intervals having a second protection interval length, which is shorter than the first protection interval length.