FlixBus will soon run bus line 666 again to the Polish coastal city of Hel. FlixBus is breathing new life into the former ‘Highway to Hel’ of the local bus company PKS Gdynia. “The number 666 was deliberately chosen as a marketing stunt to increase the visibility of the connection on the popular holiday route to Hel,” says spokesman Aleksander Kalenik.
Source: BBC
The new route lasts 13 hours and connects Kraków with Hel via all major Polish cities, including Warsaw. Line 666 should once again become a tourist attraction.
In 2006, the Polish bus company PKS Gdynia gave the line to Hel the number 666. The marketing stunt was intended to attract foreign tourists. And it worked, as the route became known as the ‘Highway to Hel’. Despite the faster train connection, the bus ride became the most popular route to the seaside city.
Controversial
In the Bible, 666 is the “number of the Beast”, or the symbol of the Antichrist. The line therefore received a lot of criticism from Christian groups. Year after year, the bus company received requests to adjust the numbering. They also accused the bus company of spreading Satanism. Therefore, PKS Gdynia changed the line to 669 in 2023.
The beaches, old architecture and seal centers are particularly attractive to the seaside city. Hel’s role during the Second World War also contributes to its popularity. Hel was one of the longest defended regions in the country.
