A magnetic drive system for driving a door leaf in a driving direction is disclosed. The drive system includes a row of magnets disposed in the driving direction and having a longitudinal direction, the magnets being arranged so that magnetizations of the magnets reverse in accordance with a predetermined pattern; and a coil arrangement comprising a plurality of coil cores and a plurality of coils, the coils being wound around respective coil cores and spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction of the row of magnets. When energized, the coils interact with the magnets to generate a thrust force for driving the door leaf in the driving direction. The magnets in the row of magnets are disposed relative to the coil cores so that a total magnetization of the magnets has no abrupt polarity reversal in the driving direction with respect to the coil cores.