It begins in Zittau in Saxony, close to the border triangle between Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, heads north through Berlin and ends in Sassnitz on the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea.

Due to historic and cultural similarities it became referred to as ostdeutsche "Route 66" by locals.

In 2015 the German rock band Silbermond dedicated a song to the road[1] which passes through their hometown of Bautzen.

Starting from its southern end in Zittau, the road passes through Ebersbach, Bautzen, Hoyerswerda, Senftenberg, Großräschen, Finsterwalde, Luckau, Zossen, and enters Berlin's Lichtenrade quarter.

On 26 March 2006 part of the route was redirected with the opening of the Tunnel Tiergarten Spreebogen, connecting Reichpietschufer with Minna-Cauer-Straße passing under the central quarters of Potsdamer Platz and the government district.