FlixBus has brought back the infamous 666 bus route to the Polish town of Hel, three years after religious conservatives successfully campaigned to have the number changed. The route, originally operated by local company PKS Gdynia, was renumbered to 669 in 2023 following complaints that the number 666, known in Christian tradition as the 'number of the beast,' was satanic. The return of the service was announced on Friday, with FlixBus promoting it as the 'Highway to Hel.'
Route and schedule
The 13-hour service runs from Kraków in southern Poland to Hel, a resort town on the Baltic coast, passing through major cities including Warsaw. FlixBus Managing Director for Eastern Europe, Michał Leman, said: 'It's better when a route explains by itself where it's going. In this case, there's really nothing more to say. Everyone will understand.' The company emphasizes that the route meets a genuine demand, as the Hel Peninsula is one of Poland's busiest summer destinations and traffic can be heavy during peak season.
Backlash and change
In 2023, PKS Gdynia changed the route number after years of pressure from religious groups. A spokesperson for PKS Gdynia said at the time: 'The management board buckled under the weight of letters and requests that were sent to us, maybe not in large numbers, but periodically for many years with a request to change the line number.' One Polish religious group had accused the bus company of 'spreading satanism.' The change disappointed many who had embraced the novelty of the route, which had gained international attention on social media.
Destination Hel
Hel is a small village on the tip of the 35-kilometer Hel Peninsula, jutting into the Gulf of Gdańsk. It offers sandy beaches, historic architecture, and a seal sanctuary. The nearest airport is Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport, about 90 kilometers away, with direct flights from the UK via low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and Wizz Air.
