A service function chaining (SFC)-based packet forwarding method, an apparatus, and a system, where the packet forwarding method includes receiving, by a first service function forwarding node, a packet forwarding rule from a control node, where the packet forwarding rule indicating a mapping relationship between a match item of traffic characteristic information of a packet and route prefix information, receiving, by the first service function forwarding node, a first packet, where a header of the first packet carries traffic characteristic information of the first packet, determining, by the first service function forwarding node based on the packet forwarding rule, target route prefix information corresponding to the traffic characteristic information of the first packet, determining, by the first service function forwarding node, target next-hop information based on the target route prefix information, and forwarding the first packet based on the target next-hop information.