A container conveying apparatus wherein retainers (1) are disposed along a retainer movement rail (52), and the one-time movement distance of a retainer is set to be an integer multiple of the spacing p of the retainers and to be different values in the two straight sections (A lane and B lane) of the retainer movement rail. If the maximum value of the one-time movement distance of a retainer in the straight sections is n times the spacing p, and the maximum number of retainers that can be disposed along the retainer movement rail is m, then the number of retainers actually disposed along the retainer movement rail is preferably m−n. The number of retainers m−n is an integer multiple of n, and all retainers disposed along the retainer movement rail are linked together in groups of n retainers at spacing p.