The road used the now discontinued Kerch Strait ferry line between Port Krym, Ukraine and Port Kavkaz, Russia, but in 2018 the Crimean Bridge opened connecting Crimea and Russia by road (A290).

In Russia, the E97 heads to Novorossiysk, along the M4 to Dzhubga and finally via the M27 motorway to resort city of Sochi, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Further south, the route proceeds through Georgia, passing through Sukhumi, Poti and Batumi before reaching the Turkish border.

Between Trabzon and Poti, the E97 is concurrent with the easternmost segment of the European route E70.

[1] Ukraine Crimea ( occupied territory) Kerch Strait Russia Georgia Turkey