Embodiments of the present invention provide a handover method and system in a relay network, a relay node, a control base station and a base station. The method includes: receiving, by a relay node, a first area identifier that identifies the relay node; sending a system information broadcast message carrying the first area identifier to a terminal in a coverage area; receiving a handover request message forwarded by a control base station; and performing, according to the handover request message, a control operation of accessing the relay node on the terminal. The first area identifier that identifies the relay node is allocated to the relay node, so that the terminal in the relay network can be normally handed over from the base station to the relay node.