The present invention relates to a catalyst system for preparing carboxylic acids and/or carboxylic anhydrides which has at least four catalyst layers arranged one on top of another in the reaction tube, the ratio of the bed lengths of the more selective catalyst layers to the bed lengths of the more active catalyst layers being between 1.4 and 2. The present invention further relates to a process for gas phase oxidation in which a gaseous stream which comprises a hydrocarbon and molecular oxygen is passed through a plurality of catalyst layers, the ratio of the bed lengths of the more selective catalyst layers to the bed lengths of the more active catalyst layers being between 1.4 and 2.