Abstract: A vacuum switching tube comprises a simply-constructed housing which is established in that cap-like metal portions are soldered blunt to the end faces of a ceramic portion, in that the metal parts comprise a cylindrical region of reduced wall thickness in the region of the ceramic parts, in that a step is formed in the inner wall at the transition to the thick-wall region to the thin-wall region, in that a vapor shield comprises an expanded edge region, and in that the edge region lies against the thin-wall cylindrical region and against the step and is soldered thereto. The tube is suitable for vacuum switching tubes in which the temperature coefficient of the metal portions is not matched to the temperature coefficient of the ceramic portion.