A microwave switch for transmitting signals having a plurality of ports and a plurality of signal paths for selective transmission of the signals. Each signal path is disposed between a respective pair of the ports and each signal path has a conducting state in which signal transmission occurs between the respective pair of ports and a non-conducting state in which signal transmission does not occur between the respective pair of ports. The switch also has a plurality of actuators, each actuator being adapted to actuate at least one of the signal paths between the conducting and non-conducting states. At least one of the ports and at least one of the signal paths are located on a first plane and the remainder of the ports and the signal paths are located on a second plane such that there are no cross over points between the signal paths in any of the planes. A switch matrix can be built using this bi-planar switch such that the switches in the matrix are connected without any cross over points.