The invention relates to a method and system for transmitting a short message in a telecommunication system comprising a location data register (HLR); a database (DB) for storing subscriber data; and a gateway (GW) which connects said location data register (HLR) and said database (DB) to said telecommunication network (1). In the method, a short message is created; the short message is sent to the telecommunication network (1); and the short message is directed via the telecommunication network (1) to the gateway (GW). In accordance with the invention, a database (DB) is maintained in which those subscribers are entered who have activated the short message forwarding service; it is checked from the database (DB) whether the receiver of the short message has activated the short message forwarding service; and in case yes, a routing information query is made by the gateway (GW) that is addressed to the location data register (HLR); and the short message is routed based on the data given by the routing information query.