A local switching method for user plane data includes: after being triggered, a level 1 data node judging whether a direct tunnel can be established for a source user equipment and a target user equipment, and if so, establishing a direct tunnel between a source level 2 data node and a target level 2 data node for the source user equipment and the target user equipment; after receiving an IP data packet transmitted by the source user equipment to the target user equipment, the source level 2 data node forwarding the IP data packet to the target level 2 data node through the direct tunnel between the source level 2 data node and the target level 2 data node, so that the target level 2 data node forwards the IP data packet to the target user equipment.