A valve train with cam switching used for intermittent control of a four-cycle internal combustion engine. The valve train comprises a splined shaft, one cam block per cylinder, and a housing-mounted actuator pin. On each end of the cam block is a cylindrical end piece and a mirror-symmetric displacing groove. A housing-mounting actuator pin inserts radially into each displacing groove. The cam block reciprocates axially through the cooperation of the actuator pins and the displacing grooves when the engine is running. Low wear of the valve train and a high switching speed are achieved due to the fact that the displacing grooves possess an accelerating flank with an impact ramp that results in a constant, low initial axial speed of the cam block and a feeble impact force of the actuator pins.