A high speed optical routing apparatus and method, in which data traffic, such as an IP packet, an Ethernet frame, etc., is switched in an optical frame unit at a high speed. The apparatus is provided with a plurality of input and output ports, and with one add port for adding data received from a lower IP router, and one drop port for dropping processed data toward the lower IP router. A header wavelength dividing unit extracts the header wavelength signals from among input optical signals inputted through the input ports and the add port. The header wavelength signals contain header information on data wavelength signals contained in the input optical signals. An optical signal inputting section demultiplexes optical signals having the data signals according to the wavelength, and for dividing and inputting the wavelength-based demultiplexed data wavelength signals according to a frame. The data wavelength signals are divided with the header wavelength signals through the header wavelength dividing section, an optical switch for switching the frame-based divided optical signals outputted from the optical signal inputting, an optical signal outputting section for combining the frame-based divided optical signals switched and outputted at the optical switch, for wavelength-multiplexing the combined optical signals into one output optical signal and for outputting the multiplexed output optical signal, a controlling section for controlling the optical signal inputting section, the optical switch and the optical signal outputting section.