Charging device for the automatic establishment and disconnection of a charging connection for a plug-in vehicle, whereby the charging device of the plug-in vehicle includes a charging electrical unit, a charging station with a charging cable to charge an energy storage unit of the vehicle through a cable-based charging connection. The charging electrical unit comprises a socket and the charging cable a plug. The charging device is designed such that that the socket has one or more insertion funnels, the plug has one or more guide pins, wherein each guide pin is allocated to a specific funnel. Information is exchangeable between the charging station and the charging electrical unit once the charging connection is established. Information between the charging station and the vehicle is exchangeable if the charging connection is not established. The plug and a reinforced section on the charging cable connected to the plug are movable via a guide mechanism in a predefined spatial direction in the form of a coupling movement over maximum predefined coupling length. The plug and reinforced section are also movable opposite the predefined spatial direction in a decoupling movement over the coupling length.