A charging station for charging an electric energy storage means of an electric vehicle using alternating charging current, having a fault-current protective device and having a charging controller. The fault-current protective device is divided into its functional units, a differential-current monitoring unit forming an integral structural unit in the form of a charging-current controller and monitoring device in conjunction with the charging controller according to the invention. Alternatively, the fault-current protective device forms an integral structural unit in the form of a charging-current controller and protective device in conjunction with charging controller.