A filling machine for filling containers with a fluid product by the use of filling nozzles with two substantially parallel filling channels which are formed in part by two separate conveyors, with a vacuum filling mechanism connected with the filling nozzles, with a support for the filling nozzles, with a mechanism for lowering and raising the nozzle support and therewith the filling nozzles into and out of containers held stationary under the filling nozzles, with an indexing mechanism for determining the correct number of containers to be filled at the same time in a respective channel during a given filling operation while held stationary in their filling positions, with a reciprocating mechanism for the nozzle support to alternately place the filling nozzles over the containers to be filled in one channel and after completion of the filling operation to move the nozzle support over the other channel to fill the containers which have been brought into filling position in the meantime in the other channel means, and with a control system for operating the filling machine through at least one control cycle.