For an automatic transmission for a vehicle such as an automobile having a first friction engaging means such as a clutch which is switched over between engagement and disengagement between two adjacent speed stages such as the third speed stage and the fourth speed stage and a second friction engaging mechanism such as a brake which is engaged at two spaced apart jumping apart speed stages such as the fourth speed stage under D range and the second speed stage under S range, a hydraulic control device switches over such two friction engaging means by a first shift valve for three speed stages such as the fourth, third and second speed stages with a help of second shift valve for switching over the second speed stage and the third speed stage. A drain port of the first shift valve is supplied with a hydraulic pressure from an S port of a manual shift valve through the second shift valve.