A loading/unloading method to perform quickly exchanging an article to be loaded on a placing table. The method comprises: positioning the placing table, where article to be unloaded is placed, to a second position that is different from a first position; unloading the article that exists on the placing table; moving the placing table from the second position to the first position while the vertically moving member is positioned at a position lower than a lower surface of a loading member holding a next article and higher than the placing surface of the placing table; allowing a loading member holding the next article to wait over the first position before the placing table is positioned at the first position; and loading the next article onto the place table positioned at the first position after the placing table is moved to the first position.