Storage area for containers and method for operating a transport vehicle in a storage area of this type

The invention relates to a storage area (6) for containers (2), comprising at least one storage region (6a) and a gantry crane (8), wherein the storage region (6a) is arranged between two travel paths for the gantry crane, such that the gantry crane can be moved over the storage region on the travel paths, and wherein a transfer region (10, 11) is arranged between the travel paths at an end of the storage region (6a) pointing in the travel direction of the gantry crane, which can be reached by the gantry crane (8) and by a transport vehicle (7, 13) for containers (2), in order to transfer containers (2) into the storage area (6) and out of the storage area (6). In order to improve a storage area (6) of this type, according to the invention, an intermediate region (29) is provided between the transfer region and the storage region; the transfer region and the intermediate region (29) are designed and arranged in such a way that a passage through the transfer region and travel in the intermediate region (29) is possible for a transport vehicle (7, 13), and the travel in the intermediate region is possible before or after the passage through the transfer region.