Poland revives its ‘Highway to Hel’ 666 bus route

The local bus company changed the original route 666 to 669 in 2023 because of complaints from Christian groups over the number’s satanic associations. (Marcin Bruniecki/Shutterstock via CNN Newsource)

Hel is a real place, and beachgoers can once again board a controversial bus numbered “666” to reach the popular Polish seaside resort.

Three years after the original designation was scrapped following complaints from religious groups, coach operator Flixbus has announced it will revive the notorious number for its summer service between the southern city of Krakow and Hel, on Poland’s Baltic coast.

“The goal is primarily to highlight the seasonal route and draw attention to a new travel option to this iconic destination on the Polish coast,” a Flixbus spokesperson told CNN affiliate TVN24.

“The number 666 was deliberately chosen as part of our marketing strategy to increase the route’s visibility on the popular summer route to Hel.”

The 666 figure is identified in the Bible as the “number of the beast,” widely interpreted as a symbol for Satan.

The new service will run once a day throughout the summer between Krakow and the Hel Peninsula in the north of the country with stops in Warsaw and several seaside towns along the way.

The original route 666 was operated by local bus company PKS Gdynia, which changed the number to 669 in 2023 because of complaints from Christian groups over the number’s satanic associations.

Despite the less than flattering comparison, the peninsula remains a massive tourist draw, famed for its clear water and long, sandy beaches.