June 2, 2026, 06:10June 2, 2026, 06:10
An unusual bus line is returning to Polish streets: line 666 will in future connect Krakow with the Hel Peninsula on the Polish Baltic Sea. The new connection is operated by the long-distance bus provider Flixbus and is generating great public interest even before it starts – not just because of the route, but above all because of its symbolic number.
Bus route 666 already has a history in Poland. An earlier connection on the Polish Baltic Sea coast to Hel carried this number for years and quickly became popularly known as the “Highway to Hel”. The name played on a pun: the place Hel is not far from the English word for hell (Hell), while the number 666 in the Bible is considered the “number of the beast” and the beast is understood as the Antichrist.
Religious protests led to the renumbering
This combination made the line known far beyond the Pomeranian region. Travelers took photos of the buses, shared images on social media, and turned the ride into something of a tourist curiosity.
However, the attention also had a downside. Religious groups sharply criticized the connection between location and line number and accused the operator of promoting “satanic symbolism”. Public pressure ultimately led to the bus route no longer having the number 666 since 2023, but now running the route to Hel as bus route 669 on the streets of Pomerania.
Flixbus consciously focuses on attention
Flixbus is now bringing bus line 666 back to Hel. The new connection will run daily in the summer and will serve Krakow, Warsaw and several seaside resorts on the Hel Peninsula, including Wladyslawowo, Jastarnia and Jurata. The journey time is around 13 hours.
Flixbus representatives make no secret of the fact that the number was chosen deliberately. They see them as a marketing element that generates attention and makes the connection easier to recognize. At the same time, the company emphasizes that the route also fulfills a practical function: the demand for direct connections to the Baltic Sea has increased significantly in recent years.
Hel: “Hell” with a sandy beach
The line’s destination is the city of Hel, located at the tip of the 35 kilometer long peninsula of the same name. The region is one of Poland’s most popular holiday destinations: sandy beaches, natural areas and a well-known seal station attract numerous visitors every year.
The Hel Peninsula on Poland’s Baltic Sea coast.Image: www.imago-images.de
The name Hel does not come from English, but probably from old Germanic language roots in which the word referred to a sandy dune or headland. (ear)
You might also be interested in: