[rippercushions]

People usually distinguish between local and long-distance travel, nobody is arguing that bullet trains should be free and planes fall into the same category.

The fact that long-distance highways tend to be free speaks more to politics than logic, and there are a few notable exceptions (eg Japan) where all expressways are tolled.

[panick21_]

Highways are also tolled in Italy and I think France, its not that exceptional.

And in Switzerland for example you just pay a really high gas tax that funds the highway, plus you have to pay a one time fee and get a sticker, otherwise you are not allowed to drive on the highway.