FlixBus brings back 666 number for Krakow‑Hel route

A controversial bus route to the Polish seaside resort of Hel will once again bear the number 666 this summer, resurrecting a service that was changed three years ago following complaints from religious groups. The new long-distance service is being launched by the private coach operator FlixBus, which will connect the southern city of Krakow to Hel via Warsaw and several popular coastal resorts.

The original route 666 was operated for years by the local company PKS Gdynia. Its number, combined with the destination's name, led tourists to dub it the "bus to hell" and share photos of it widely on social media. In 2023, after receiving periodic letters and requests over many years, PKS Gdynia changed the number to 669. A company spokesperson said at the time that the management board had buckled under the weight of the correspondence, some of which came from religious groups accusing the company of spreading Satanism. The number 666 is identified in the Bible as the "number of the beast."

FlixBus has now deliberately revived the number as a marketing strategy. A company spokesperson stated that the number was chosen to increase the visibility of the new connection on the popular...