NSW premier joins commuters on light rail

Premier Barry O'Farrell is one of many who have hopped onto Sydney's new extended light rail service, which now continues to Dulwich Hill in the city's inner west.

"This is a great project for people who live in the inner west - it extends Light Rail," he said on Thursday.

Nine stations have been added to the line including those at Lewisham and Leichhardt.

The first train left just after 6am on Thursday with plenty of commuters and joyriders pleased about the $176 million track extension, which was completed last month.

Mr O'Farrell joined Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian on Thursday to open the extension.

"The benefits of this project are broader than for just those in the inner west. Getting cars off the road is a benefit for everyone commuting into the city from western Sydney," Mr O'Farrell said.

A extra 5.6km of new track was built from Lilyfield to Dulwich Hill.

A man who boarded the service at Hawthorne station in Leichhardt told AAP he'd bought an all-day pass so he could travel back and forth and enjoy the new line throughout the day.

Commuters can now go from Central to Dulwich Hill in about 40 minutes.

Services will run every 10 minutes during peak times and a single adult fare costs $4.60.