The present disclosure provides a virtual rail based cruise method as well as an apparatus and a robot using the same. The method includes: obtaining a digital map including a virtual rail; performing a path planning based on the virtual rail, a current position of the robot, and a cruise end point to obtain a cruise path; and obtaining parameter(s) of the robot by calculating through a preset path tracking algorithm based on the cruise path and the current position of the robot, and controlling the robot based on the control parameter(s). In this manner, the problems of the prior art that needs to lay a rail or set an auxiliary device which causes high cost and inconvenience in usage as well as the rail needs to be re-laid or the auxiliary device needs to be reinstalled when the route is to be changed can be solved.