The station has one side platform and one island platform. It also has a tourist information center. Miaoli Station is an important station on the Taichung line and has facilities for freight/cargo services.
History
25 May 1903: The station was built in the Japanese-era as Byōritsu-eki (苗栗驛).
1930: The station is reconstructed as a brick building.
24 April 1935: The station train depot is reconstructed.
1943: The station was destroyed by bombing during the Pacific War.
August 1955: Due to increased traffic at the station, platform 1 was reconstructed, the elevated walkway was demolished, and a new tunnel was constructed.
November 1975: The third-generation station was reconstructed using reinforced concrete as a two-story station.
1978: The second story and the station entrance are reconstructed to include a clock.
1997: Due to the construction for double-tracking of the Mountain line, the station is once again reconstructed including the entrance, the platforms, and expansion of the station.
11 October 1998: After the completion of the double-tracking project, the station becomes a stop.
10 June 1999: The TRA Railroad Museum opens for service.
1 November 2006: The Fu-an Underground Passage opens for use.
25 June 2008: The Taroko Express begins servicing the station.
29 October 2010: The construction for a cross-platform station design begins.
22 December 2010: As part of the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Republic of China, the TRA begins running a Miaoli to Hualien service (via the South-link line).
^各站營業里程-1.西部幹線. Taiwan Railways Administration (in Chinese). 11 December 2008. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
^車站數-按等級別分(PDF). Taiwan Railways Administration (in Chinese). Archived from the original(PDF) on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
^蘇昭旭 (2018). 台灣鐵路車站大觀 [The Practical Guide of Taiwan Railway Stations] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 人人出版. p. 64. ISBN978-986-461-140-9.
^臺灣鐵路電訊. Taiwan Railways Administration (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
^臺鐵統計資訊. Taiwan Railways Administration (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.