Disclosed are a method, apparatus and system for data transmission in a downlink virtual multi-antenna system. The method includes: N terminals receive downlink data and/or downlink Demodulation Reference Signals (DMRSs) from one Node B or multiple Nodes B, N being a positive integer larger than or equal to 2; and one terminal in the N terminals forwards the downlink data and/or downlink DMRSs received from the one Node B or multiple Nodes B to M terminal(s), M being a positive integer larger than or equal to 1. A first forwarding unit of the apparatus is configured to forward received downlink data and/or downlink DMRSs of a Node B to M terminal(s) by one terminal in N terminals, M being a positive integer larger than or equal to 1.