Method for transferring a transport unit of a long stator linear motor at a transfer position from a first transport section to a second transport section. On each side of the transport unit, excitation magnets are arranged to interact with driving coils, and on both sides of the transport unit, excitation-magnetic lateral forces are acting on the transport unit by an interaction of the excitation magnets with ferromagnetic components of the guide structure. Method includes supplying on at least one side of the transport unit a stator current n a driving coil to generate a lateral force-forming electromagnetic force that acts on the transport unit, so that a resulting lateral force, as a sum of the acting excitation-magnetic lateral force and of the lateral force-forming electromagnetic force, on each side of the transport unit is different to produce a steering effect on the transport unit at the transfer position.