A communication method and an apparatus are disclosed. The method includes: receiving, by a target access network device, at least one first packet of a terminal when the terminal is handed over from a source access network device to the target access network device; buffering the at least one first packet; and sending the at least one buffered first packet to the terminal when the target access network device receives a second packet and a third packet from the source access network device, or the target access network device receives one of the second packet and the third packet and does not receive the other one of the second packet and the third packet within a preset period, or the target access network device does not receive the second packet or the third packet within the preset period.