A communication method, comprising: obtaining, by a first access network device, core network load information, wherein the core network load information indicates load of a first core network element and/or load of a second core network element; and determining, by the first access network device based on the core network load information, a core network element serving a terminal device, wherein the core network element is one of the first core network element and the second core network element, wherein the core network load information comprises one or more of the following: - overload information of the first core network element and/or the second core network element, wherein the overload information comprises a first indication indicative of an overload level of the first core network element and a type of the first core network element, and a second indication indicative of an overload level of the second core network element and a type of the second core network element; or - capacity information of the first core network element and/or the second core network element, wherein the capacity information indicates a capacity relationship between the first core network element and the second core network element; wherein the first access network device accesses the first core network element or the second core network element or a core network element other than the first or second core network element, and wherein the first access network device has determined that the terminal needs to handover to a second access network device, which accesses both the first core network element and the second core network element and wherein determining the core network element serving the terminal comprises determining the core network element serving the terminal after the handover. obtaining, by a first access network device, core network load information, wherein the core network load information indicates load of a first core network element and/or load of a second core network element; and determining, by the first access network device based on the core network load information, a core network element serving a terminal device, wherein the core network element is one of the first core network element and the second core network element, wherein the core network load information comprises one or more of the following: - overload information of the first core network element and/or the second core network element, wherein the overload information comprises a first indication indicative of an overload level of the first core network element and a type of the first core network element, and a second indication indicative of an overload level of the second core network element and a type of the second core network element; or - capacity information of the first core network element and/or the second core network element, wherein the capacity information indicates a capacity relationship between the first core network element and the second core network element; - overload information of the first core network element and/or the second core network element, wherein the overload information comprises a first indication indicative of an overload level of the first core network element and a type of the first core network element, and a second indication indicative of an overload level of the second core network element and a type of the second core network element; or - capacity information of the first core network element and/or the second core network element, wherein the capacity information indicates a capacity relationship between the first core network element and the second core network element;