Getting a bus from Louth to the main towns nearby is possible for most journeys. This page covers the five routes people ask about most: Alford, Grimsby, Lincoln, Mablethorpe and Skegness.
Times change, so always check before you travel. Links to live times and journey planners are at the bottom of this page.
Louth to Alford – Service 1
Service 1 runs between Alford and Louth, operated by Grayscroft Coaches.
- Route: Alford to Sandilands, Mablethorpe, Manby and Louth.
- Runs Monday to Saturday, roughly hourly.
- Good for: market day trips, shopping and connecting with other services at either end.
Check current times at lincsbus.com or search “Grayscroft Service 1 Louth Alford” for the operator’s own timetable.
Louth to Grimsby – Service 51 / 51B
The 51 and 51B are the main services between Louth and Grimsby, operated by Stagecoach East Midlands.
- Route: Louth bus station to Grimsby Riverhead Exchange, via villages including Holton le Clay and Scartho.
- Roughly hourly through the day on most days.
- Good for: Grimsby town centre, shopping, Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital and college.
There is also Grayscroft service 28, which links Alford, Mablethorpe and Louth through to Grimsby, useful if you’re travelling from further along the coast.
Louth to Lincoln – Service 50
Service 50 connects Lincoln with Louth, operated by PC Coaches.
- Route: Lincoln to Louth, with several return trips through the day.
- Stops include Lincoln County Hospital and Wragby on the Lincoln end.
- Good for: commuting, hospital and college trips, days out in Lincoln.
PC Coaches also run a Louth to Horncastle service and a Louth Nipper service for local trips within the town.
Louth to Mablethorpe – Service 50 / Service 1
Two services cover the Louth to Mablethorpe route.
- Service 50 (PC Coaches): runs Lincoln to Louth and on to Mablethorpe via Alvingham, Manby and Theddlethorpe.
- Service 1 (Grayscroft Coaches): runs Alford to Mablethorpe through to Louth, so works in both directions depending on where you’re starting from.
- Both run Monday to Saturday, with limited or no Sunday service.
Good for: coastal trips, work in Mablethorpe, shopping at Tesco on the Mablethorpe end.
Louth to Skegness – Seasonal and connecting services
There is no year-round direct bus from Louth to Skegness, so this one needs a bit of planning.
- Stagecoach service 59 connects Skegness and Mablethorpe, and runs more frequently in summer (up to every 30 minutes at peak).
- You can combine a service 50 or service 1 to Mablethorpe with the 59 onward to Skegness.
- Some direct seasonal services do run from Louth to Skegness in summer, typically on Saturdays and Sundays and school holiday weekdays, with journeys from around 7:45am.
- Outside summer, connecting via Mablethorpe is the most reliable option.
Where to check live times
LincsBus: journey planner and route information for all Lincolnshire services. Good starting point if you’re not sure which bus to take.
BusTimes.org: live tracking alongside timetables. Shows where the bus actually is, not just when it’s due.
Stagecoach East Midlands: for services 51 and 51B to Grimsby, plus Skegness services.
PC Coaches: for service 50 to Lincoln and Mablethorpe, plus the Louth Nipper and other local routes.
Grayscroft Coaches: for service 1 between Alford, Mablethorpe and Louth.
Worth knowing before you go
- Fares on many Lincolnshire routes were reduced to £1.50 for in-town journeys from December 2025. This is funded until at least March 2027.
- Some routes run school days only or have reduced Saturday timetables. Check before you travel.
- Rural services can and do get cut. If a route has changed, LincsBus is the best place to check for updates.
- If you’re not sure which bus you need, the LincsBus journey planner will find the best option from your start point.
Something out of date?
Bus routes in East Lindsey change more often than anyone would like. If you spot something that’s wrong or a service has been updated, please let us know and we’ll keep this page current.