A device (1) for transporting containers and in particular plastic containers (10) with a main carrier (2) rotatable about a pre-specified main axis (D), with a multiplicity of transport elements (12a, 12b) for transporting the plastic containers (10), wherein each of these transport elements (12a, 12b) is arranged on an arm (8a, 8b) and can swivel in relation to the main carrier (2) about a pre-specified geometric pivot axis (S1, S2), and a multiplicity of independently controllable first drives (14a, 14b) is provided to generate the swivel movements of the transport elements (12a, 12b). According to the invention, each transport element (12a, 12b) is also mobile linear in relation to the pivot axis (S1, S2) about which it is pivotable, and a multiplicity of independently controllable second drives (16a, 16b) is provided to generate the linear movement of the transport elements (12a, 12b).