A contact element for contacting a sliding contact has a fastening section and a contact section connected thereto and extending in a longitudinal direction. The sliding contact and the contact element are movable relative to each other. The problem of enabling an improved, safe, reliable and low-wear conductive transmission electrical energy and/or data to and/or from a movable electrical consumer is addressed in that the contact section has at least one electrically conductive contact with a contact surface for electrically conductive contacting of the sliding contact. A current collector transmits electrical energy and/or data to or from a contact station has at least one such contact element. The contact station has one or more sliding contacts for contacting one or more contact elements of the current collector.