A process for the separation of 1,4-butanediol from mixtures obtained by the catalytic hydrogenation of maleates, fumarates, and/or succinates, which also contain tetrahydrofuran, water, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alcohols, succinic diesters, hydroxybutyrates, alkylhydroxyalkyl succinates, gamma-butyrolactone and butyrates, in addition to 1,4-butanediol, comprising the following steps:a) separating, in a first column having an actual number of plates of from 20 to 70 and operated at a top pressure of from 50 to 1100 mbar and preferably from 50 to 500 mbar and a top temperature of from 40.degree. to 120.degree. C., alcohol, water and tetrahydrofuran, as overhead product,b) feeding the bottom product of the first column into a second column having an actual number of plates of from 30 to 90 and withdrawing the overhead product consisting of alcohol and butyrate and obtained at a top pressure of from 45 to 250 mbar and a top temperature of from 45.degree. to 120.degree. C., and withdrawing gamma-butyrolactone and butyrates through a side outlet, and feeding the bottom product to a phase separator,c) feeding the 1,4-butanediol-enriched bottom phase of the liquid two-phase mixture coming from the phase separator to a third column having an actual number of plates of from 30 to 90, alcohol being distilled off as overhead product at a top pressure of from 45 to 250 mbar and a top temperature of from 45.degree. to 120.degree. C., and the azeotrope comprising 1,4 -butanediol and succinic diester is withdrawn as a sidestream and recycled to the phase separator, whilst 1,4-butanediol is removed together with alkyl-hydroxyalkyl succinate, butyl hydroxybutyrate, and high-boiling fractions as bottoms, andd) separating the succinate-enriched top phase in the phase separator.