The 666 bus route in a town called Hel has been axed after religious groups said the reference to “the number of the beast” was “Satanic stupidity”.
The 666 bus route in a town called Hel has been axed after religious groups said the reference to ‘the number of the beast’ was ‘Satanic stupidity‘
They hit out after the number was offered as a joke as the seaside resort of Hel in Poland continues to grow in popularity with holidaymakers due to its remote beaches and forest trails.
The 22 mile-long Hel peninsula in northern Poland is said to be one of the most beautiful and unspoilt parts of the Baltic coast and locals have long seen the funny side of the name with the bus route, referencing the number of the beast.
But transport operator PKS Gdynia has decided to change the name of the route to 669 after being bombarded with complaints from Christian groups for nearly a decade.
Spokesperson Marcin Szwaczyk told Sky News: “The management board buckled under the weight of letters and requests that were sent to us, maybe not in large numbers, but cyclically for many years with a request to change the line number.”
Catholic publication Fronda branded the use of the number 666 in Hel as “Satanic stupidity” in 2018 and said in an article: “Hell is the negation of humanity. It is eternal death and suffering.
“You can only laugh at this reality if you simply don't understand what it is.”
The new 669 bus service is due to begin running on 24 June, but Mr Szwaczyk said route 666 could return if passengers demand it.
He added: “If in fact the response is large and strong enough to restore the line 666, it seems to me that we will listen to our passengers and change this number.”