The invention relates to a magnetic-tape-cassette apparatus having a deck for playing magnetic-tape cassettes, which comprises a loading mechanism including a cassette holder (23) adapted to receive a magnetic-tape cassette (2) and having a holder wall (23e) which guides a cassette wall and which carries laterally projecting pins (23a/b), which pins are guided in lift slots (22b) in a lift slide (22), which slots are inclined relative to the vertical, to lower the cassette holder (23) into a play position and to lift the holder into an eject position, the lift slots (22b) being formed in a lift wall of the lift slide (22), which is movable between a forward and a backward end position, which carries along the cassette holder (23) over a part of its path of movement, and which is movably guided in a parallel first and a second rail (1f, 1n) on the deck plate of the apparatus, in whichthe first rail (1f) is arranged at the location of the lift wall provided with the lift slots (22b) through which the pins (23a/b) extend,the second rail (1n) is arranged underneath the lift slide (22) at a distance (A) from the first rail (1f), which distance is smaller than the width (B) of the magnetic-tape cassette (2) in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the rail,at the location of the second rail (1n) the lift slide (22) has a lift member (22c) having the same inclination as the lift slots (22b), which lift member guides actuating projections (23h, 23k) of the cassette holder (23) in such a manner that at the location of the first (1f) and the second (1n) rail the holder can always be lowered and lifted to the same level.