A vacuum valve closes a flow path in a gas-tight manner using a linear movement and includes a closure member, a first sealing surface of the valve housing that encloses the opening, and a corresponding second sealing surface of the closure member. In the closed position, the second sealing surface is in sealing contact with the first sealing surface. In the region between the opening and the first sealing surface, the valve housing includes a first sloped surface that encloses the opening, and the closure member includes a corresponding, parallel second sloped surface. The sloped surfaces, which have a sloping angle between 3 and 15 degrees relative to the geometric adjustment axis, are located such that, in the closed position of the closure member, the second sloped surface is arranged in a parallel position opposite the first sloped surface at a distance of 0 and 0.6 mm.