A method and apparatus for coating catheters or balloon catheters is disclosed in which the catheter or balloon catheter is radially surrounded completely or almost completely at a constant distance by a device that applies a coating solution so that the coating solution completely fills the space between the catheter or balloon catheter and the device and thus completely surrounds the catheter or balloon catheter, relative motion is effected between the device and the catheter or balloon catheter in the axial direction across the surface of the catheter or balloon catheter multiple times, and partial drying of the applied coating solution occurs between the individual coating stages.
