Disclosed is a handover method for an IP-based next generation mobile communication system. With a handover method including 1) determining whether or not a predetermined mobile terminal goes into the overlapping area; 2) starting a Layer 3 (L3) handover operation between the neighboring access routers as the mobile terminal goes into the overlapping area; 3) if the Layer 3 handover operation between the neighboring access routers is completed, establishing a data path for the mobile terminal to pass through an access router after the Layer 3 handover; 4) if the mobile terminal leaves a cell area including the mobile terminal in steps 2) and 3), performing by the mobile terminal Layer 2 handover between cells and receiving by the mobile terminal data through a cell base station after the Layer 2 handover and an access router before the Layer 3 handover; and 5) if the mobile terminal leaves a cell area including the mobile terminal after step 3), performing by the mobile terminal Layer 2 handover between cells and receiving by the mobile terminal data through a cell base station after the Layer 2 handover and an access router after the Layer 3 handover.