An ingress edge router (6) couples a set of input links (13) carrying packet information to a set of output links (14) carrying burst information. A plurality of input line cards (30) route information packets to one of a plurality of output line cards (32) associated with a desired output link (14) over a switching matrix (34). The output line cards (32) assemble information packets into data bursts, generate burst header packets for respective data bursts, and transmit the data bursts and burst header packets on the output links (14). The output line cards (32) include a plurality of burst processing units (40) for assembling data from the packets into data bursts, a plurality of transmitters (46) for transmitting data bursts on a respective channel of an output link and a switch (42) for passing bursts from a burst processing unit to a transmitter under control of a burst control unit (44).