It runs east-west for 85 km between Havana and Matanzas, crossing the town of Santa Cruz del Norte, and an additional 53 km east to Varadero, at the northern tip of Peninsula de Hicacos (the section between Matanzas and Varadero is a toll road).

Vía Blanca starts at the Ciudad Deportiva, on the south-western side of Havana, between Cerro and Diez de Octubre.

It runs for 12 km through Luyanó and Old Havana border, the harbour area, Regla and Guanabacoa, before crossing the Vía Monumental in Habana del Este.

The motorway-type section (138 kilometres (86 mi)) starts in Havana, on a roundabout (Rotonda de Cojímar) before the Monumental, and ends north of Cárdenas.

The exit at Varadero is the starting point of an 18-km long beltway, named Autopista Sur ("South Motorway"), that runs through the town.