The simplest way from Dunbar-Southlands to downtown Vancouver is a TransLink bus. Route 7 links Dunbar Loop with downtown and carries on to Nanaimo Station, so many riders can get downtown without a transfer. Open the TransLink trip planner with your own stop and the time you want to leave, because it shows the current route, stop and travel time.
Taking the 7 from Dunbar
Route 7 is a trolleybus line that runs between Dunbar Loop and Nanaimo Station by way of the downtown core. It is a daily service. Exact frequencies change with the time of day and the season, so check the schedule for your stop.
If your home or hotel is far from the line, walk or ride a short way to a stop on it. The trip planner will also suggest connections with other routes or the Canada Line when that gets you downtown faster. Allow extra time for walking at each end and for any transfer, then add a cushion if you have a train, flight or appointment to meet.
Cycling the Arbutus Greenway
The Arbutus Greenway is a paved path of just under 9 km that follows a former rail line through Marpole, Kerrisdale and Kitsilano. It starts near Fir Street and West 5th Avenue, close to the Burrard Bridge, and the surface is mostly flat. Part of the width is marked for people on bikes and part for people on foot. The greenway sits east of Dunbar, so plan a short ride across to it first, then use the bridge to reach the downtown streets.
The City of Vancouver and TransLink both publish bike maps if you want to pick quiet streets for the first and last stretches. Check them before you leave, since lane layouts get updated.
Driving or booking a ride
A car or taxi is the better choice with luggage, a group, or an early start before buses get going. Use the Uber estimate calculator or the taxi fare estimator to compare costs before you book, and see the Vancouver taxi page for local options.
Drivers should check live traffic before setting out, as the roads into downtown slow down at rush hour. Parking downtown is paid and usually limited, and the rules differ block by block, so read the signs on the street you choose or look at the City of Vancouver parking pages first.
Walking the whole way is possible but it is a long trek across the city, so a short walk to a bus stop makes more sense.