A switching device includes: a first and 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 terminal contact on which the first fixed contact is mounted; and a second terminal contact on which the second fixed contact is mounted. 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 switching device. 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 switching device. A path of a load current flowing through the contact bridge between the first and second movable contacts in the switched-on state extends in a first plane.