Kid - Malvern, Work - Central - Where to Live?

[Femur]

Hi,

we’ve just arrived and we are looking for a rental with optimal commutes for wife and kid.
child has a place at Malvern, just opening, next to the science park past University MTR.
Bus services seem to have been set up to go from wherever to the school but the longer commutes seem to involve him getting the bus at 7, the later ones 7.45/8.
An hour plus commute seems a bit much for the little fella.
Wife works in central - that’s the fixed point.
Budget is 35-45k.
First thoughts are
Given School’s location and and with reasonable travel times for junior constraint, island locations are out.
olympic / Kowloon town - feasible
commute from university mtr too punishing for the wife.
sha tin - in addition to not having similar commute downside university, too far from the action - we lived in the ‘burbs in the uk - one exciting prospect of Hk was going out and dining.
Where else is worthy of consideration?
thanks

[MABinPengChau]

Kowloon Tong? Probably the school bus will stop there, there are expats in Kowloon Tong. There are buses to Central to avoid changing trains if you don't want to do MTR.

Not wildly exciting but lots of nice places to live.

[imparanoic]

hung hom /hung hom bay, places like royal peninsula ( or extra 7 min walk, harbour place), 22 mins on east rail to university station, 20mins from hung hom to central, close to decent amenities - whampoa

[chingleutsch]

I'd pick somewhere north of Lion Rock Tunnel with good access to express buses to Central or a development with its own residents' service to the island. That way at least your wife could sit down and read/ sleep/ play games for the commute.

Olympic would be an absolute nightmare for the school commute!

[imparanoic]

hong lok yuen is only 7-8 min drive to university, they have dedicated shuttle coaches directly to central ( i believe) European style houses, low rise, 2 floor, detached houses, club house, etc.

[Femur]

Tremendous suggestions - crowd-sourcing our challenge is working wonders - thanks!