A longitudinal guide for vehicle seats, comprising a lower rail, an upper rail supported thereon to be displaceable in a longitudinal direction, wherein each upper rail and lower rail has an L-shaped region, if viewed in profile, formed by a base leg and an L-leg projecting from the base leg substantially perpendicularly, and two end regions respectively connected to the L-shaped region. Each elongate rail includes a first bearing area and a second bearing area for guiding means, which are biased to each other and formed by opposite end portions of the respective upper rail and portions of the associated lower rail. Embossments are formed at both ends of the base leg of the upper rail by cold work forming, with a smaller radius of curvature to effect higher stiffness of the longitudinal rail, particularly in event of a crash. Further embossments may be provided for an even higher stiffness.