A contact unit for a switching device includes: a first fixed contact; a second fixed contact; a contact bridge; a first movable contact and a second movable contact that are arranged at the contact bridge; a first arc extinguishing chamber, a second arc extinguishing chamber, and a third arc extinguishing chamber; and an arc guiding system. The first fixed contact is in contact with the first movable contact and the second fixed contact is in contact with the second movable contact in a switched-on state of the contact unit. The first fixed contact is free of contact with the first movable contact and the second fixed contact is free of contact with the second movable contact in a switched-off state of the contact unit. The first and the second arc extinguishing chamber and the arc guiding system in coordination with each other extinguish a first arc.