Poland's 'hell bus' line 666 from Kraków to Hel resort returns after brief renaming

Bus line 666, running from Kraków to the seaside resort town of Hel in Poland, is back under its original number after a brief renaming prompted by pressure from conservative religious groups. The route's name had raised eyebrows due to the biblical connotations of both the number 666 and the destination's English translation — 'hell'. The line never actually disappeared, but operated under a different number for a couple of years.

Poland's notorious bus line 666, which runs from Kraków to the coastal resort town of Hel — whose name translates as 'hell' in English — is once again operating under its original number, having reverted after a temporary renaming that lasted roughly two years.

The route had drawn attention for years due to the combination of the number 666, widely associated with the devil in Christian tradition, and the destination of Hel, a picturesque peninsula on the Baltic Sea whose name happens to coincide with the English word for the underworld. Conservative religious groups in Poland pushed for the number to be changed, and for a period their campaign succeeded.

However, the line never ceased to operate — it simply ran under a different designation during that time. The decision to restore the original number 666 has delighted those who found the whole affair more amusing than alarming, and the route has regained its reputation as one of Poland's more colourful public transport curiosities.