Method and arrangement for operating a continuous casting plant

A method of operating a continuous casting plant for the manufacture of thin slabs for hot strip rolling, wherein at least one pair of reducing rolls are arranged following a continuous casting mold and adjustable strand guide elements are arranged following the at least one pair of reducing rolls, the method comprising adjusting the pair of reducing rolls, after a predetermined length of strand has traveled through the pair of reducing rolls, to a gap between the reducing rolls which causes the liquid core of the strand to be squeezed off, deforming the strand by means of the pair of reducing rolls to a start-up size which has a thickness which is smaller than the thickness of a desired final size of the strand, and subsequently adjusting the pair of reducing rolls to the thickness of the final strand size as soon as a strand portion having the start-up size with the smaller thickness has completely reached the pair of reducing rolls and adjusting each strand guide elements to the thickness of the final strand size as soon as the strand portion having the start-up size with the smaller thickness has completely reached each strand guide element.