This application discloses a communications method and apparatus. An example method includes: receiving, by a RAN node, a first message from an AMF node, where the first message includes specified area related information of a terminal device, and the specified area related information is used to indicate a specified area of the terminal device; and when the RAN node determines, based on the specified area related information and first location information of the terminal device, that the terminal device moves out of the specified area, sending, by the RAN node, the first location information or first indication information to the AMF node or an SMF node, where the first indication information is used to indicate that the terminal device already moves out of the specified area.