The surge arrester contains a tubular encapsulation (1) of electrically conductive material that is filled with an insulating gas, an insulator (17) that is held on the encapsulation (1) and serves for supporting a current conductor (R) that is connected to a high voltage, an active part (2R) that is arranged in the encapsulation (1) and comprises at least one varistor column (3) that is aligned along the encapsulation axis (A) and a field control element (6). In order to maintain the manufacturing costs of this arrester at a low level, the field control element (6) and a first plug-type contact (16) of a plug connection (15) are held on the current conductor (R) of the insulator (17), and a high-voltage electrode (4) of the varistor column (3) that is connected in an electrically conductive fashion to the current conductor (R) via the plug connection (15) contains the second plug-type contact (14) of the plug connection (15).