Poland has revived the controversial bus route No. 666 — BBC
The popular European bus operator FlixBus has officially announced the resumption of its legendary Route 666, which runs to the Polish seaside resort of Hel.
This was reported by the BBC.
This route had previously sparked quite a bit of heated debate in the country due to wordplay and numerological associations.
Now, the famous route is returning to the regular schedule to once again connect key Polish cities with the Baltic coast.
The route, known among travelers as the “Highway to Hel”—a direct allusion to AC/DC’s iconic rock hit “Highway to Hell”—was previously successfully operated by the local transport company PKS Gdynia.
However, conservative religious groups have long vehemently opposed this “satanic” association of the number 666 with the city’s name.
Due to constant pressure from religious activists, in 2023 the number of this popular route was demonstratively changed to 669.
FlixBus has decided to restore the original numbering to attract travelers and boost sales.
The new 13-hour route will connect Kraków with Giel, passing through other major Polish cities, including the capital, Warsaw.
Company representatives are convinced that this move will positively impact the popularity of this summer tourist destination.
FlixBus spokesperson Alexander Kalenik revealed the company’s marketing strategy: “The number 666 was specifically chosen as part of our marketing communication to increase the visibility of this route on the popular route to Giel.”
At the same time, the former carrier had a completely different experience interacting with passengers.
Back in June 2023, a representative of PKS Gdynia told the media: “The company’s management could no longer withstand the pressure of letters and requests sent to us—perhaps not in large numbers, but periodically over many years—asking us to change the route number.”
Representatives of local religious communities remained the main critics of the historic route number. One Polish religious group even officially accused the bus company of “promoting Satanism.”
It is worth noting that Poland is a predominantly Catholic country where the church traditionally has a significant influence on social and political life.
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