Steering shaft for a steering column of a motor vehicle and steering column for a motor vehicle

A steering column for a motor vehicle, the steering column comprising:

• an inner covering pipe;
• a steering shaft rotatably supported in the inner covering pipe, wherein the steering shaft comprises:
• an inner shaft with a sliding element having an outer profile portion, and
• an outer shaft in which the inner shaft is at least partially disposed, wherein the outer shaft is configured to be displaced relative to the inner shaft axially in a direction of a longitudinal axis between a storage position and an operating position, wherein the outer shaft includes a bearing means having an inner profile portion that corresponds to the outer profile portion, wherein in the storage position the outer profile portion is at least partially received in the bearing means;
• and
• an outer covering unit in which the inner covering pipe is retained.