A drive for a printing machine with a plurality of printing mechanisms has a closed gear train arranged to connect the printing mechanisms with each other, a drive train extending parallel to the gear train and elastically connected with the latter by at least two power input points, a torsion spring arranged to be located in a trunnion of each of the printing cylinders, at a drive side of the latter, a bush arranged to be mounted in the trunnion of each of the printing mechanisms, and an axially displaceable driver arranged in the bush and form-lockingly engaging the torsion spring.