The hydraulic brake system comprises a piston/cylinder unit (14) for activating and releasing a brake (12), comprising a volume (16) adapted to have a pressurized working fluid supplied thereto for moving the piston (24) from a braking position into a release position for releasing the brake. Further, the hydraulic brake system comprises a supply line (18) for the supply of working fluid from a reservoir (22), a discharge line (30) for the discharge of working fluid from the volume (16) of the piston/ cyliinder unit (14), a first valve (34) and an element (36) for determining the flow resistance, a bypass line (32) provided with a second ON/OFF valve (38) and arranged for a flow in parallel to the discharge line (30). At the start of a braking process, among the two ON/OFF valves (34,38) which in the released condition of the brake are in the closed condition, the first ON/OFF valve (34) is opened and, upon lapse of a presettable first time period (Tdelay1) from the opening of the first ON/OFF valve (34), the second ON/OFF valve (38) is opened.