VMS Help TCPIP Services, FTP, Default Directory  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

    During an FTP session, you can display or change the current
    default directory either on the remote host or on your local
    host.

    To display the default (working) directory on the remote host,
    use the SHOW DEFAULT command as in the following example:

    FTP> SHOW DEFAULT
    257 "/usr/users" is the current directory.

    To display the working directory on the local host, use the SHOW
    DEFAULT command with the /LOCAL qualifier, as in the following
    example:

    FTP> SHOW DEFAULT/LOCAL
    Local directory is DISK$6:[MANAGER].

    To change the default directory on the remote host, use the
    SET DEFAULT command. The following example shows how to
    change the default directory on a remote DIGITAL UNIX host to
    /usr/users/robert:

    FTP> SET DEFAULT "/usr/users/robert"
    250 CWD command successful.

    or

    FTP> SET DEFAULT "~robert"

    To change back to your login default directory, specify a tilde
    (~) alone, as follows:

    FTP> SET DEFAULT ~
    250 CWD command successful.
    FTP> pwd
    257 "/usr/users/robert" is current directory.