A conveying system for material samples, especially medical samples, comprising a conveyor track forming at least one conveying section and a plurality of sample holders, designed to hold one sample vessel, which are self-propelled and displaceable along the conveying section. Each sample holder comprises a drive motor, an energy accumulator for supplying the motor with driving energy, at least one fiction wheel, drivable by the motor, for transmitting a force onto the track, and a control for controlling the travels of the sample holders. Signal transmitters are arranged in the track in predetermined positions along the conveying section and are adapted to form a near-field transmission section having signal receivers arranged in the sample holders, the signal transmitters being connected to the control and adapted to transmit control data relating to the adjustment of driving parameters to the sample holders via the near-field transmission section.