Sha Tin district guide: housing, transport and school nets
Sha Tin district covers Sha Tin town centre, Tai Wai, Fo Tan, Kau To Shan, City One, Shek Mun, Ma On Shan and Wu Kai Sha, and has the largest population of any district. The new town mixes public rental estates, Home Ownership Scheme courts and private estates. The East Rail and Tuen Ma lines serve it, and it is split between Primary One school nets 88, 89 and 91.
What is Sha Tin district like?
Sha Tin district is built along the Shing Mun River and Tolo Harbour. The town centre and Tai Wai were developed first and Ma On Shan is a later extension of the new town; Fo Tan and Shek Mun have industrial and commercial areas, and Kau To Shan is a low-density residential area on the hill.
The area names most used when searching are Sha Tin Town Centre, Tai Wai, Fo Tan, Kau To Shan, City One, Shek Mun, Siu Lek Yuen, Ma On Shan and Wu Kai Sha.
What kinds of home are there?
Private estates include City One Shatin, Shatin Centre and Garden Rivera, Festival City near Tai Wai Station, Sunshine City in Ma On Shan and Double Cove in Wu Kai Sha. Public rental estates and Home Ownership Scheme courts are found throughout Sha Tin, Tai Wai and Ma On Shan.
Kau To Shan and the hills above Fo Tan are mainly houses, low-density estates and large flats.
How do you get around?
The East Rail Line stops at Tai Wai, Sha Tin, Fo Tan and University; the Tuen Ma Line runs from Tai Wai through Che Kung Temple, Sha Tin Wai, City One, Shek Mun, Tai Shui Hang, Heng On and Ma On Shan to Wu Kai Sha, and also stops at Hin Keng. The Lion Rock, Tate's Cairn and Shing Mun tunnels and Route 8 link to Kowloon and Tsuen Wan. Kau To Shan has no MTR station.
Schools and school nets
For Primary One central allocation, Sha Tin district is split into 3 school nets: net 88 (Tai Wai), net 89 (Ma On Shan) and net 91 (Sha Tin).
Nets are drawn by home address and may change each year, so check the address against the Education Bureau's information before buying or renting. For secondary school places, Sha Tin district is one secondary school net, and a pupil's net follows the district of the primary school attended, not the home address.
Shops, parks and services
Sha Tin Station connects to New Town Plaza and Shatin Centre, and Ma On Shan has Ma On Shan Plaza and MOSTown. Cycle tracks and parks line both banks of the Shing Mun River, and the district has the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sha Tin Racecourse and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
What should you check when looking in Sha Tin?
These points come up often in this district. The details of an individual home still need checking with the lister one by one.
- The East Rail and Tuen Ma lines take different routes to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, so compare flats along each by where you work.
- Large estates such as City One Shatin have many blocks, and their distance from the station varies a good deal.
- Flats near the Fo Tan and Shek Mun industrial areas: check for goods vehicles and the effect of industrial buildings.
- Kau To Shan: it depends on minibuses, estate shuttle buses or a car, so check the frequency and the parking arrangements.
Common questions
Which school net is Sha Tin district in?
For Primary One central allocation, Sha Tin district is split into 3 school nets: net 88 (Tai Wai), net 89 (Ma On Shan) and net 91 (Sha Tin). Nets are drawn by address and may change each year, so rely on the Education Bureau's information for an individual address.
How do you get to town from Ma On Shan?
The Tuen Ma Line runs from Ma On Shan through Tai Wai direct to Kai Tak, Hung Hom and East Tsim Sha Tsui; for Hong Kong Island, change at Tai Wai to the East Rail Line under the harbour to Admiralty. Buses also run through the Tate's Cairn Tunnel to Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.