'Highway to Hel' Returns: FlixBus Revives Poland's Controversial 'Satanic' Bus 666 for Summer 2026
FlixBus is resurrecting the infamous bus line 666 to the Polish seaside town of Hel, a route previously scrapped in 2023 after conservative religious groups condemned its 'satanic' connotations.
The 'Highway to Hel' is back
Three years after a local operator buckled under pressure from conservative Christian groups and changed the number of a bus route to the Polish seaside resort of Hel from 666 to 669, the German company FlixBus is bringing the controversial number back. The seasonal service, which launches on 26 June 2026, will connect Kraków to the tip of the Hel Peninsula, passing through Warsaw and other major cities. The 13-hour journey has been deliberately branded as a marketing tool.
The number 666 was deliberately chosen as a communication and marketing element, with the aim of increasing the visibility of the connection on the popular tourist route to Hel.
A history of controversy
The original line 666 was created in 2006 by PKS Wejherowo, which assigned numbers 665 to 669 to its seasonal routes. The coincidence of the biblical 'Number of the Beast' and the destination's resemblance to the English word 'hell' quickly turned the bus into a viral, global tourist attraction. However, years of periodic complaints from religious groups culminated in June 2023, when the then-operator PKS Gdynia changed the number to 669.
The board decided to give in under the weight of letters and requests that have come to us, perhaps not in great numbers, but periodically for many years, with the request to change the line number.
The new route
FlixBus's new service is significantly longer than its predecessor, taking on a nationwide character. The bus will depart Kraków at 6:00 AM and Warsaw at 10:30 AM, stopping at key locations on the Hel Peninsula including Władysławowo, Chałupy, Kuźnica, Jastarnia, and Jurata, before arriving in Hel at 7:25 PM. Tickets start from 89 zł and are available exclusively online. The company says the route addresses high summer demand and overloaded traditional transport infrastructure in the Baltic region.
It's better when the line explains itself where it's going. In this particular case, nothing more needs to be added, because every traveler will easily understand this reference.
A deliberate marketing stunt
FlixBus executives have been open about the provocative numbering being a conscious marketing strategy. The return of the 'Highway to Hel'—a nod to the AC/DC song 'Highway to Hell'—has already garnered international media attention, with outlets like the BBC covering the story. The company aims to turn the bus connection into a tourist attraction in its own right, leveraging the wordplay that made the original line a social media phenomenon.
- PKS Wejherowo creates seasonal bus routes numbered 665-669; line 666 to Hel is born.
- PKS Gdynia changes the number from 666 to 669 after years of pressure from conservative religious groups.
- FlixBus announces the return of line 666 as a seasonal service from Kraków to Hel.
- The first FlixBus 666 service departs Kraków at 6:00 AM.
The Hel Peninsula destination
The Hel Peninsula is a 35-kilometer-long sand spit on the Polish Baltic coast, popular for its sandy beaches and a seal sanctuary. While the train to Hel is actually much faster, the bus line's notoriety has historically made it a tourist draw. FlixBus plans to operate the service daily throughout the summer season, with its buses reaching over 50 seaside towns in Poland.
